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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29999385">The Traveler’s Elegy</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chrom_H240/pseuds/Chrom_H240'>Chrom_H240</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Virtual Streamer Animated Characters</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Being used as a tool, Blood, But the future refused to change, Cliche Time Travel Plot, Gen, I Have Never Seen Groundhog Day, I put an arbitrary limit on a power someone had solely to drive the plot, I thought this would be kinda like X-Files but I think it’s more Like X-Men, Implied/Referenced Torture, Language That Makes Steve Rodgers Cringe, Mental Breakdown, My Kink is writing happy characters to make them as traumatized as Shinji from Evangelion, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Referance Humor Still Isn’t Funny, facing consequences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:34:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>19,928</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29999385</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chrom_H240/pseuds/Chrom_H240</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Department Of Mythological Investigations is a government agency that studies myths and experiments on those who may be connected to them. With four new, high priority targets are in their sights, the department’s director personally dispatches their best bet at finding them. The agent who takes the job however finds themselves playing both sides until finally resorting to using the power the Department hired her for, against them.</p><p>(An attempt at putting my ‘not-so original’ idea into words.<br/>Basic ‘oh god I’ve been on the wrong side this whole time’ story turns into ‘Groundhog’s Day’ because that’s the idea I had IDK.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Your Name Please?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The titles in this story are all based on music/quotes I listened to while writing this.<br/>“Your Name Please?” Is a track from the EarthBound/Mother 2 OST that plays while you name the characters.</p><p>Each title that is lyric will have the song continued in the notes, and should serve as a hint to the content of the chapter.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>ENTER YOUR INFORMATION TO PROCEED:</p>
<p>            CODENAME:</p>
<p>            ID:</p>
<p>“Ugh there has got to be a better way to do this,” Amelia sighed as she typed in the information. Codename: The Detective. ID: 24440. After a second the panel blinked green and the door swung open.</p>
<p>“Sorry Detective, but security cards can be stolen.” The guard shrugged. “I’m sure the government just doesn’t want to pay to make new ones every year or something.”</p>
<p>Amelia rolled her eyes. Yes, the same government who could run a whole secret base for holding and experimenting on unnatural organisms couldn’t possibly have the money to replace security cards every now and then. Of course she understood that she was just nitpicking. Amelia wasn’t one for technology. The tech at work was annoyingly complicated because of the work they did, and things like gaming devices only seemed to bolster her rage if things weren’t going her way.</p>
<p>“Never mind that,” she sighed. “Do you happen to know what the status is on the last target I brought in? The one code named: ‘Blood God’.”</p>
<p>“Oh the pig guy?” the guard asked. “The doctor was talking about him earlier actually. There could be something about transformation research or strength enhancements, but otherwise he wasn’t as valuable as they thought.”</p>
<p>“Figures.” Amelia shook her head. “Even I can’t get a good assignment lately.” As she said that, another field agent passed by the two on his way out.</p>
<p>“So sorry Detective,” he taunted, “I guess they keep giving the good ones to me and my team.” The guy shrugged his shoulders and gave her a look of superiority.</p>
<p>“You talk too much shit for a dude whose codename comes from a piece of cardboard, Nicol.” Amelia huffed. “I do more for the D.O.I. than you could <em>dream.</em>”</p>
<p>Nicol rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. And I bet it has to do with the power you won’t tell anyone but the boss and doctors about. Whatever. I’m taking the assignment for target: ‘Nov. 16<sup>th’. </sup>Oh, and Detective, the Director wants to see you. Hope you’re getting fired!” With that, Nicol waved as the door slammed down.</p>
<p>“Why the hell did they name <em>him </em>the best of the department’s agents again?” Amelia raised a brow. She didn’t remember how long she’d been working for the Department Of Mythological Investigations. The mythological part was usually kept out of the public image, as i they were to know that the government was hunting leads on things that may or may not exist, it would not fall in their favor. The only thing she knew is that one day they started taking her from her mother at least once a month to run tests. It was during those tests they found that Amelia actually had a special gift of her own. Amelia scratched her head as she headed towards the elevator to the Director’s office. </p>
<p>“The hell does he want me for?” She thought. “He never gives me my assignments personally. <em>Unless</em>...”</p>
<p>The ability Amelia held was not one to be taken lightly. The tests the D.O.l. did on her uncovered the ability to time travel. After it was determined her powers couldn’t be shared with others, she was hired when she came of age. There were two main drawbacks to the ability: she needed to focus on her ancestors’ pocket watch to do it and also minor body degradation. It wasn’t harmful after one or two trips, but it definitely could not be left alone if she planned to use the power for multiple trips without taking any precautions. The doctors were able to come up with a medicine to inject her with to protect her body while traveling. Amelia hated sticking herself with needles however, because it made her feel like she was just another one of the department’s experiments, rather than a member of the team.</p>
<p>The main use for her power was to turn back botched missions from other agents, and then do them herself. Because of this, Amelia had two code names in the department. “The Detective” was to be used as her name in field operations and when identifying her. However, “The Traveler” was how she’d be addressed in reference to her power and other job. Amelia only wondered which version of her the Boss wanted to see. When the elevator doors pushed open she entered the room and stood at attention.</p>
<p>            “Ah Detective, you’re here,” the Director said happily. “I heard about project: ‘Blood God.’ Pig transformation isn’t exactly exciting is it? And before it, project: ‘Bugs Bunny’ was just a girl that looked like a rabbit. These assignments aren’t worth your time, what do you think?”</p>
<p>“No sir, they aren’t, to be honest,” she said calmly. “Nicol said you wanted to see me about something?”</p>
<p>“Straight forward as always.” The Director sighed. “Yes. I have a proposal for you to make up for your latest disappointments. I need four high level targets brought in and I can’t trust Nicol or his <em>Elder Dragons </em>to do it.” The boss threw his hands in the air. “They’re too… reckless. And I want results fast on this. The targets are named: ‘Lost City,’ ‘Lovecraft,’ ‘Lady Death,’ and ‘Firebird.’” The boss threw four folders onto his desk.</p>
<p>“What do we know about them?” Amelia replied as she picked them up.</p>
<p>“Supposedly…the on is a being from the city of Atlantis. The second is a human who has come into contact with ancient, god-like beings and has become their priestess. The third is thought by our research to be connected death itself. The fourth is believed to be a Phoenix using a human form to blend in. If any of this is true, you understand why I can’t send a large team. These four are priority <em>number one</em>. So many things can be learned from their capture, Detective.” the Director answered as Amelia thumbed through the somewhat empty folders.</p>
<p>When she saw the picture in the folder for “Lady Death” she froze, something about them looked familiar. The long pink hair, the veil on her head, even her clothes all looked as if Amelia had seen this woman up close, more than once, but she couldn’t think of when or how. She stared at the picture, trying to push herself to the answer.</p>
<p>“So are you taking the assignment or not?” the Director asked, finally snapping her out of it.</p>
<p>“Yes, sir. I will leave immediately.” Amelia answered softly, still pondering the feeling of familiarity she felt.</p>
<p>“Good. I pray for your success.” the Director pushed. “Get going.”</p>
<p>“As you wish, sir.” Amelia bowed, turned and left, on her way to start the mission.</p>
<p>            ‘Why the hell did the woman in the ‘Lady Death’ folder look so familiar to me?’ Amelia thought. ‘Probably just some punk I’ve seen on the way to work or something. No. It can’t be that simple.’</p>
<p>She got into her car, throwing the folders in a bag so they weren’t viable to anyone else and started the vehicle.</p>
<p>‘This could be just the assignment I was looking for. But this weird feeling is unnerving.’ Amelia shook her head again to refocus on the road. “It’s nothing. Proceed as instructed. Bag the targets and that’s that.”</p>
<p>When Amelia got back to her house she started to stuff supplies she’d need in a bag as her dog came over to greet her. She kneeled down to pet him and took out her phone to call her mother. If the assignment was to the magnitude the boss said it was, she’d need to leave the animal with her so it could be taken care of.</p>
<p>“Yeah, hi mom I have another assignment for work. No, I’m not sure how long I’m going to be gone, so I need you to take Bubba for me this time. Sorry, I know he can be a handful at times. Yes, I’ll be safe. Bye mom, I love you too.” After the call was done, she turned the phone off and pocketed it, and put a few things together for her mother and the dog. She then took out the company phone and headset she used for her jobs, made sure she had everything in the bag, then led Bubba to the car to take him to her mother’s house. </p>
<p>“Let’s get this started, I guess.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Woke Up This Mornin’....</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Amelia begins the assignment after dropping off her dog, but shes not the only one out looking for someone.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>…holdin' my head<br/>Thinking last night is one I'll regret<br/>Washing off the bad decisions, the blurry vision<br/>The clues that I'm still a mess…<br/>-MAKE IT UP AS I GO, MIKE SHINODA-</p>
<p>The title Make It Up As I Go correlates with the idea that Amelia’s tactic in this chapter is to pretend to be someone she isn’t to get close to the target.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After dropping her dog Bubba off at her mother’s house, Amelia got ready to start the mission. She felt her best bet was to meet up with one of them and befriend them. She had to often use underhanded tactics like this because she had elected not to have a partner or team. Which may have made her the perfect person for this job in the eyes of the Director, but Amelia knew it also made her vastly out numbered. The folders stated it was likely that the four targets were close together, likely all in one place. She loosened her tie and sighed, her work was obviously cut out for her. </p>
<p>“What a pain. The boss wants this done fast, but there is no <em>fast </em>way to do this. Not if he wants it done <em>right </em>anyway.” Amelia rolled her eyes as she hid the earpiece microphone in her glovebox. She would only need to contact H.Q. in an emergency or to give a progress report anyway. She began to go over the folders again.</p>
<p>“Which one should I track down then.” She whispered to herself. “‘Lost City’ looks like a child…I might get arrested if I try meeting them. Besides, there’s really no hiding that tail. I doubt ‘Lovecraft’ goes out much looking like that. All those tentacles would certainly draw a lot of attention… so that leaves ‘Firebird’ and ‘Lady Death.’ Except for a few standout features, they look like they blend in the easiest.” Amelia threw the folders back into her bag. “But first, I need to eat.”</p>
<p>           </p>
<p>Calliope Mori rolled her eyes as her friend Kiara clung to her arm tightly. There were times she thought she was cursed to never escape her grasp, even when her friend’s life ended. As a phoenix, Kiara would always be reborn upon death, and as an apprentice to Death himself, Calli was always there to witness both her beginning and end.</p>
<p>“We are still trying to lay low.” Calli gently reminded Kiara. “Or did you forget the tip we were given? We may look like convincing humans, but if there really is a group out there chasing myths, then we run the risk of outing Ina and Gura every time we go somewhere.”</p>
<p>“Right. Sorry Calli, I just can’t help it sometimes.” Kiara nodded. “So did you see the person you were looking for? The one on your list?”</p>
<p>Death had his apprentices keep a list of people they would eventually help into the afterlife. Calliope had sensed the presence of someone on hers and wanted to check on them, as the lists were so long that it wasn’t always possible to get to everyone on it. So it was always a good idea to check when there was one close by, even if you weren’t technically ‘on the job’ at the time.</p>
<p>“No, but this girl can be particularly clumsy at times. I’m sure she’s fine, and even if she isn’t, she likely won’t die today.” Calli answered as the two rounded a corner. “I’m just keeping up the status quo since she’s so close.”</p>
<p>Calli peered across the street to see a blonde girl sitting at an outside café table.</p>
<p>“That’s her. Right there.” She pointed the girl out to Kiara. “I’ve been keeping an eye out on her since she was young. I swear she’s <em>trying </em>to die before her time actually comes.” Calli continued. </p>
<p>“Well, she looks fine to me.” Kiara observed. “If you’re really worried about the kidnappings we shouldn’t stay still for too long.</p>
<p>“Yeah. Good idea.” Calli agreed as she watched the girl stand up and leave the table. She paused dead in her tracks, however, when she saw what the girl did next. She got out of her chair and stared directly at Kiara and herself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>            Amelia got out of the chair with a smirk. ‘This is why Nicol can suck it,’ she thought. Two of the targets were right across the street from her. “Guess my luck is just better than his,” she said aloud as she paid her bill. “The only issue now is that if I approach them it’ll look suspicious.”</p>
<p>Amelia wasn’t sure what her next move should be. She was close enough that they likely could see her too, in fact, upon closer inspection it almost looked like they were making eye contact with her.</p>
<p>“Wait a minute…are they…watching me?” Amelia whispered to herself. “Did they already find me out? There’s no way that’s possible.” She reached into her coat and pulled out her watch and a syringe. “Better have these ready.” She watched the two girls across the street, trying to see if they were watching her or not. If either side met the other prematurely, it would likely ruin the mission and Amelia knew that meant she’d have to travel back. The two eventually turned around and went back the way they came, with no signs of being in a hurry or running away from her. At least for now, it seemed Amelia’s cover was safe. </p>
<p>‘Better give it a second before I try to follow them, just in case.’ She thought as she placed the items back in her coat pocket. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>            “Are you sure she was watching us?” Kiara asked Calli as they walked back down the street.</p>
<p>“Maybe not, but I really don’t want to find out.” Calli answered, allowing the two of them to stop. “I think we need to get back to check on Ina and Gura.”</p>
<p>If that girl <em>was </em>watching them, it’s possible they are part of whatever group was behind the kidnappings they were warned about. They could be after any one of them, or even all of them. Calli needed to be sure she was wrong. “Actually, I’m gonna go back alone. You stay here and try to see if she’s following us.”</p>
<p>“Ok, I’ll do my best.” Kiara nodded as Calli rushed off. Kiara returned to the busy streets, trying to keep an eye out for the girl Calli was worried about. It took a few minutes, but Kiara saw her again, from behind this time. To her, it just looked like the girl was just out for an afternoon lunch. After finishing it she was now returning home. Calliope swore the girl had reached into her coat pocket back at the cafe, but Kiara hadn’t seen it. She shrugged and decided that she’d keep an eye on her for a bit longer. Suddenly, lost in her thoughts, Kiara bumped into her, knocking both of them down.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>            Amelia rubbed her head as she got up. “Hey watch where you’re-“ she turned around to see the girl from the “Firebird” folder staring at her.</p>
<p>‘Hook, line, and sinker.’ The Detective thought. ‘Still better play it safe. They could be watching me just as closely as I am them.’</p>
<p>“Sorry, are you ok?” Amelia quickly changed her disposition and held out her hand to the girl to help her up.</p>
<p>“Yeah.” The other girl took her hand and pulled herself up.</p>
<p>“That’s good.” Amelia nodded. “The name’s Amelia Watson, yours?”</p>
<p>The girl hesitated for a second before replying. “Takanashi Kiara.”</p>
<p>“Well Kiara, it’s nice to meet you. I’m kinda in a hurry right now. But something tells me we should get to know eachother. I feel connected in a way, and not just cause you rammed me into the pavement on accident.” Amelia smiled.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>             Kiara hesitated again. This was a tough spot, the girl seemed so nice and didn’t look dangerous to her. However, this was a bit out of nowhere, not many people she ran over on the sidewalk wanted to get to know her. After a minute she figured if they stayed away from where she and her friends were living, then it would be ok.</p>
<p>“Sure,” Kiara finally nodded, and handed Amelia her phone. “Put your number in, and we’ll stay in touch.”</p>
<p>‘If she is trailing us, I can probably throw her off a bit if I stay close. And if she <em>was </em>just a regular girl, she seems really cool.’ Kiara smirked. She thought it was a good plan. Amelia punched in the number and handed her cell phone back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Alright then, see you again soon.” Amelia nodded and ran off.</p>
<p>‘First contact made. This was almost too easy. Hmm, I didn’t lie to her though…Everything about this case feels weird. The girl who was with her, “Lady Death…” I can’t shake the feeling I know her. And I really <em>did</em> feel connected to this Kiara girl too.’ Amelia jumped back into her car to rest. ‘I just need to take a break. I’m sure it’s nothing.’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>            “The hell do you mean you gave her your <em>phone number</em>?!” Calli exclaimed. “Do you have any idea how bad of an idea that is?”</p>
<p>“I just figured I’d be able to throw her off the trail a bit by feeding her wrong info…and if she <em>isn’t </em>some crazy kidnapper, she’d make a great friend. Besides Calli, keeping her close makes your job easier. Also, I felt it too. It’s like I was drawn to her. How else would I have ran into her again so quickly.”</p>
<p>“Because she <em>wanted </em>you to, thats how.” Calliope replied. However After a second she relented to her friend’s idea. </p>
<p>“Fine. But you better have this under control.”</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. You’re All Alone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Check in time.<br/>Discussing plans.<br/>Nightmares and realizations.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>“Look around Ted, you’re all alone.” -Barney Stinson, How I Met Your Mother</p>
<p>The track You’re All Alone from How I Met Your Mother plays as the main character Ted has the realization that he is the only one out of his group that hasn’t moved on to the next stage of life. The idea was to have Amelia to come a similar realization, if not in a more traumatized way. (Refer to story tags, you’ll find the one I mean.)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Amelia huffed and pulled the earpiece out of it’s hiding place.</p>
<p>“First contact with two of the targets made. Adding what I learned to their files,” she said into the microphone.</p>
<p>“Good work,” the Director’s voice congratulated her from the other side. “I knew you were the right pick for this assignment, Detective. It’s been mere hours and you’ve already taken a huge step towards this goal.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, sir.” Amelia nodded even though he couldn’t see her, and hung up without saying anything else. She took out the medicine and fumbled around with he syringe for a bit.</p>
<p>“The right choice, huh? Because I’m a good agent or because I’m <em>like them</em>?<em>”</em></p>
<p>Ever since she was a child, she could remember that at least once a month the D.O.I. would take her away to collect data on her power. She wasn’t even sure how they had found out, it wasn’t like she <em>purposely </em>traveled before at that age. Amelia sighed, put the vial back in her coat where it belonged, and turned on her personal phone. She had decided to bring it with her last second to keep up with her mother and dog. They were all she had after all, besides her brother who was out of the country at the moment. No friends, in the department or out. She sent a quick: ‘How are you and Bubba?’ Message to her mother, then pocketed it again.</p>
<p>“Now to wait for this Kiara to message me, I guess.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>            “Let her. If you really think we’re in danger it could be a way to gain info and plan an eventual defense,” the purple haired girl told Calliope. “Besides, one human against us is hardly a challenge I’d say.”</p>
<p>“I’d agree with you <em>if </em>I were allowed to get involved, Ina,” Calli replied. “If I end up killing her before her time, Lord Death will throw a fit. I’d rather not find out what would come of that.”</p>
<p>“The three of us are still plenty,” Kiara assured her. “We have Ina’s powers and Gura and I aren’t exactly weak.”</p>
<p>“We don’t know anything about her,” Calli countered. “She could have some power too. For all we know, they only sent one person <em>because </em>they have a really <em>strong</em> power.”</p>
<p>The shorter girl with the shark tail just twirled a trident around. She wasn’t particularly keen on the idea of fighting <em>or</em> rushing into this blindly. But she understood where all of her friends were coming from as well.</p>
<p>“I agree with Kiara and Ina, Calli. Sorry. Kiara could very well steer her off course.” she added, finally laying the weapon down.</p>
<p>“Gura come on.” Calli pleaded. “Aren’t you guys worried about what could happen if we’re caught?”</p>
<p>“Of course we are Calli, it’s just… can’t we be concerned about her safety too?” Gura tilted her head to the side. “She technically hasn’t done anything to us besides, <em>possibly, </em>stare at you and have a halfway decent conversation with Kiara.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, you’re more concerned about this than you’d usually be, Calli.” Ina agreed. “Are you okay?”</p>
<p>“Listen, people have been going missing lately. People we <em>know </em>have gone missing lately.” Calli answered. “I’m just worried about your guys’ safety.”</p>
<p>“Aw Calli, I knew you cared about us.” Kiara teased. “You act cold every now and then, but you love us all. Especially <em>me, </em>huh?”</p>
<p>Calliope rolled her eyes. “<em>Kusotori</em> just…fine. I shouldn’t have backtracked. If you all feel safe then we’ll do it. Kiara can try to chase her away.”</p>
<p>“That wasn’t a nooooo.” Kiara continued to press her previous comment.</p>
<p>“Just go send her a damn message.” Calli turned away slightly and blushed.</p>
<p>           </p>
<p>           Amelia shook in her sleep. Images of her past flashed in her head. She saw the doctors as they pulled out her hair and took blood samples. Images of her as a child at school, and playing with her brother at home. She remembered how she huddled alone while the house burned around her. A shadowy figure stood in front of her, looking down as if she were waiting for something to happen.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Huh, still not your time? Resilient as always I guess.” </em>
</p>
<p>Suddenly, her phone buzzed in her pocket and she woke with a jolt to find her hat had slipped down over her face. Amelia lazily pulled out both phones and found two messages on her personal phone. She slipped the department issued one back into her pocket and unlocked hers. One message was from her mother assuring her that she and her dog were alright, the other was from Kiara.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Hey, let’s meet tomorrow, huh? You know, if you were serious.” -Kiara</em>
</p>
<p>Amelia shook her head and rubbed her eyes before replying:</p>
<p>
  <em>“Sure, how about at the same café I had my lunch at, I can tell you were it is if you need.”</em>
</p>
<p>She put the phone away after that and just held herself in her car seat for a minute, thinking back on the nightmare.</p>
<p>‘What the hell was that about?’ She thought frantically. ‘That was <em>her </em>wasn’t it?’ Her bosses words about “Lady Death” and the info in her folder echoed in her mind.</p>
<p>“She really <em>is</em> Death, isn’t she?” Amelia gripped her chest. “The boss wasn’t kidding. I haven’t even met them all yet and I can tell…this isn’t going to be easy.” She slapped herself back to reality.</p>
<p>“Just stay calm, Watson,” she told herself. “That’s all in the past. Your nightmares can’t hurt you, and neither can she if you play this right.” She then look at her hat and shrugged, placing it back on her face so she could sleep some more.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. I’m Only Human...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>First meeting, check in with Nicol and the rest of the team of people whose names I stole from a popular TCG because I’m couldn’t think of anything else.<br/>Amelia.exe has stopped responding.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>…I can turn it on<br/>Be a good machine<br/>I can hold the weight of worlds<br/>If that's what you need…<br/>-HUMAN, CHRISTINA PERRI-</p><p>Christina Perri’s Human is used to show the realization that ever since being hired, she’s lost all ability to function as a person. She can’t be social because she’s too used to be used as opposed to being treated as equal.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Amelia woke up in the morning early so that she could call the department again.</p><p>“This is the Detective, meeting with target ‘Firebird’ this morning,” she said into the mic. She sounded emotionless. Partly because of how early it was, but also because while not as vivid as her nap, the nightmare she had kept her from getting meaningful rest. The background cracked for a second until a person answered.</p><p>“Good to go Detective, thank you for the update.”</p><p>“Yep.” Amelia took the earpiece out and threw it into her glove compartment.</p><p>“I don’t know what I was expecting.” Her work phone buzzed at that moment and a message from Nicol to all other agents came up on screen.</p><p>
  <em>“Target Nov. 16<sup>th</sup> is a bust. Just an old dude with wings. The department has enough subjects for flying experiments so I didn’t even bother bringing him in. Another assignment expertly handled. Eat your heart out Detective.”</em>
</p><p>She didn’t have time for this. She never understood why he wanted it to be a competition. Ever since the Director said he was the best it had been like this. She knew she was better than him. Hell, her power had been used to fix tons of his mistakes in the past. Of course, she was the only one who remembered any of the times she had travelled. She didn’t need to be celebrated anyway, <em>she</em> knew how good she was and that was all that mattered. </p><p>“We can’t have the others finding out about your power Detective,” the boss had told her once.</p><p>“Just more department bullshit,” she sighed. “Oh well, nothing I can do about it. I’ll just keep doing my job either way.” With that, Amelia straightened up her clothes and got out of the car to meet Kiara.</p><p> </p><p>          Nicol curled his lip up at his work phone. He wished The Detective would take him more seriously. She thought she was big and bad and yet it was him who was Sen as the best. Him whose assignments had been pushing the D.O.I. forward as of late. He laughed as he put his phone away. Sitting around Nicol were the other four members of what he called the Elder Dragons of the D.O.I.. Named after each of the original Elder Dragon cards from the widely popular game <em>Magic: The Gathering. T</em>hey were pretty much what you’d expect of a five man team, each with their own job and skill set. The man sitting directly next to Nicol was Arcades. He was the one who came up with all of the teams’ plans and tactics. Vaevictus did the undercover work and was sitting behind Arcades. Chromium was the one who took care of all of their supplies. Weapons, food, all of it. He was also in charge of keeping all of the info the team had collected on the target in order. Finally, Palladia was the first choice to take on targets in one on one combat. Her martial arts were unmatched among the team, even if she was unarmed against an armed opponent. They were never seen apart in the field, unless the job called for it. They referred to each other by their codenames at all times, even when it seemed they were taking time off. No one at the D.O.I. knew anyone else’s real name unless they were working together. That was information that would be sealed in each agent’s file, for security reasons. However to some, the Elder Dragons, Nicol especially, took their codenames so seriously that it was unclear if they had real names or not.</p><p>“What next then?’ Vaevictus asked finally.</p><p>“We return to base,” Nicol answered calmly. “Screw the Detective, we should just focus on our work for now. Especially if the boss gave her some huge job that’s gonna make her look good.” With that, the team directed their pilot to take him back to the headquarters.</p><p>           </p><p>“So, and I’m sure you hear this a lot,” Amelia started, “your hair has got to be dyed, right?” The two girls laughed and Kiara nodded and answered.</p><p>“The blue anyway, the orange is real.”</p><p>Amelia took it in and nodded.  “Fair enough. What kind of feathers are those on your earrings?”</p><p>Kiara fiddled around with them for a second before answering. “Oh you know, just whatever  people use for arts and crafts. I just had them colored to match my hair. I made the earrings myself.”</p><p>Amelia took a bite of her food while she thought of what to say next.</p><p>“What about you Amelia, where are you from?” Kiara asked her back.</p><p>“Oh just from the area.” Amelia replied. “Never found a reason to leave, I guess. Mom’s still here. My job is here.”</p><p>“And what <em>do </em>you do for work?” Kiara asked. “I’m sure it has to be interesting in a place like this.”</p><p>“I’m a detective. I handle small cases around town.” Amelia replied. “Can’t you tell?”</p><p>Kiara looked her over. The hat, the coat, even her hair charm shouted investigator.  </p><p>“I guess it <em>is </em>obvious now that I take a good look at you,” Kiara hummed. “Wait a minute… <em>Watson? </em>Did you become an investor because of your name?”</p><p>“I-I guess I did.” Watson laughed at the idea. She couldn’t understand what it was, but this interaction was genuinely pleasant to her. Not dehumanizing like the boss, or annoyingly dense and one-sided like Nicol. It felt like she was talking to another person who saw her as <em>equal. </em>Her mother and brother were the only other ones who made her feel this way. She wasn’t sure how to process this new information.</p><p> </p><p>            “Alright, that was a good breakfast <em>Ame</em>, but I need to check on my roommate. They’ve been very anxious lately and I want to make sure they’re doing alright.” Amelia’s eyes widened, it was weird to have someone other than family call her by a nickname. She froze up, unsure how to answer.</p><p>“It’s ok if I call you that, right?” Kiara asked to be sure after a second. </p><p>Amelia was truly unsure how to respond, this wasn’t something she’d encountered before. Usually when a non-family member called her by anything other than her given name, it was her department codenames. A label, given to her by her bosses to keep track of her.  Kiara put a hand on her shoulder when she realized Amelia had spaced out, which helped to snap her back to reality.</p><p>“Huh… oh sorry. I’ve never froze up like that before. Yeah, you can call me that, I like it.” Amelia finally said with a nod. “I need to check up on my mother and dog soon anyway. I left him with her while I was working my current case in case there were days I didn’t get home. See you again?”</p><p>“Sure, sounds good to me. Message me, we’ll figure it out.” Kiara nodded with a smile and ran off.</p><p>‘What the <em>hell </em>was that Amelia?’ Watson thought on the way back to her car. She pounded her hands on the dashboard after getting in. ‘Like, that wasn’t suspicious at all, ack!’ She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. </p><p> </p><p>“She was actually quite pleasant, Calli. She’s asked about my hair and we had some small talk. She said she was a detective in the city and that she was on a case.” Kiara told her friend as she recounted the meeting. “One thing did seem off though.”</p><p>“And what is that?” Calliope asked through narrowed eyes, processing everything she was being told.</p><p>“I called her Ame as a nickname and she froze up, like she didn’t understand the idea. Almost like…she’d never experienced something like that.” Kiara answered. “Calli…I kind of feel bad for her. She seemed happy, but something was also clearly troubling her.”</p><p>“We can’t let that skew our suspicion for now.” Calli said. “Detective on a case, huh?”</p><p>“There is such a thing as overly cautious Calliope,” Ina warned. “I too share your suspicion, but we shouldn’t be hasty either.” One of her tentacles dropped a book into her hands and she began to skim it.</p><p>“I get that,” Calli agreed. “But there is definitely something amidst here. Continue meeting her Kiara, we’ll play it by ear.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Cause It’s Hard To Forget...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It kinda sucks to realize that your job is to hand over living things to the government to have them tested on.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>…This damn hole in my chest <br/>And the mess that you left when you left me<br/>Now these blankets and sheets are like chains around me <br/>And this bed is now holding me hostage…<br/>-SCARRED, JAMESTOWN STORY-</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After a week of meeting with Kiara, Amelia was being dragged by her to her home to meet her friends. Amelia didn’t know what had prompted the visit, it all came out of nowhere. They had had breakfast together as usual, and Kiara started talking a bit about her friends and before she knew it the two of them were busting through the front door.</p><p>“Guys this is her, this is Ame!” She exclaimed. Calli’s eyes went wide as she closed the book she was reading.</p><p>“Kusotori, why the f-“</p><p>“Aw come on Calli, she’s alright. Besides we’ll be careful.”</p><p>‘Careful of what?’ Amelia thought. ‘That’s her…Lady Death…the one from my nightmare…and she was watching me the day I found them. She <em>must </em>suspect who I am.’ She just stood in place for a minute behind Kiara as she stared at the woman who had been seemly haunting her since the assignment began. Just then, Amelia felt something wrap around her foot and jumped.</p><p>“Sorry.. sometimes they have a mind of their own.” Ina said with a smile as the tentacle drew back and Calli got up and went to her room, mumbling something about carelessness. “I’m Ina, one of Kiara’s friends.”</p><p>“H-Hi. Amelia Watson. But I’m sure you knew that, considering our enterance wasn’t exactly quiet.” She replied, still shaken.</p><p>‘So this is “Lovecraft”? She seems…pleasant.’</p><p>”Yes.” Ina nodded. “Kiara‘s been telling us about you.”</p><p>”And I you.” Watson replied as she felt another tug on her jacket. She turned to see the girl from the ‘Lost City’ folder.</p><p>“Heh. She looks even sillier than you made her seem Kiara.” Gura giggled. Amelia gave the shark-girl a narrow-eyed glance.</p><p>“I could punt you over, <em>child</em>.” She sneered in response.</p><p>“I’m <em>older</em> than you’ll ever be.” Gura teased. “Try me.”</p><p>“Don’t tempt me.” Amelia shot back with a laugh. There was something oddly entertaining about the exchanges she was having. She felt this weird sense of belonging as she got to know the other targets a bit more personally. While learning nothing too relevant to the case, the time she spent in the house with them was a good experience over all.</p><p> </p><p>Later that night Amelia sat in her car thumbing over the folders of her targets and adding in information she was able to gather from her messages and meetings with Kiara, as well as the day’s visit.</p><p>“Lost City” was a shark-girl from Atlantis by the name of Gawr Gura. She was very playful and liked to tease her friends. Her abilities included the ability to breath underwater and swim very well. Her aging was also considerably slower, as Gura herself implied she was thousands of years old. Gura preferred not to fight but, if she had to, carried a trident from her home with her. She spent most of her time playing games. Nothing out of the ordinary, and basically what the folder already knew, except for a few key details.</p><p>“Lovecraft’s” real name was Ninomae Ina’nis, but they all just called her Ina. She doesn’t remember if she ever had a name before the time she had been taken in by the Ancient One to be their priestess. She was very sparing with further details about herself during the visit and Kiara had never really talked about her before. Amelia shrugged, she wasn’t expecting to get the info she <em>did</em> get, so it was ok. Ina also seemed to like drawing, and reading from an old tome she carried around. The book was likely given to her by the so-called ‘Ancient One’ Ame figured.</p><p>“Lady Death” avoided her the whole time she was in their home, but during their meetings Kiara talked about her <em>a lot. </em>Calliope Mori was very reserved, but protective when it came to her friends. There was no confirmation on her status as Death from Kiara, and certainly not while Amelia was in her presence. The only thing giving that info validity was her appearance in Ame’s nightmare about the house fire. The only info she got besides what was already in the folder, is that she enjoyed casual drinking and rap music. It was also very likely that Calliope knew or at least suspected Amelia was there to study them based on how she acted towards her.</p><p>Kiara herself was easy going and a bit overwhelmingly excited. She obviously cared deeply for the others and would likely drop anyone who tried anything against them. She, like Gura, was apparently much older than she looked. This and her apparent belief in past lives weighed heavily in favor of the intel that she was actually a phoenix.</p><p>            As Amelia continued looking at the folders, something came over her. It was a feeling she couldn’t remember from any other job. It felt <em>wrong </em>to know all of this and it use it to capture other people. She tried to shake the feeling away again, but this time it stuck.</p><p>‘What the <em>fuck</em> is the matter with me?’ Amelia thought hard, trying to convince herself it was just another job. But it clearly wasn’t. Something inside her wouldn’t let it be that simple. The emotions she felt were some mixture of guilt, confusion, and betrayal. Reading the folders made her feel even more guilty. Seeing the pictures made her feel happy and dreadful. What was going on in her head?</p><p>‘Why do I feel so <em>connected </em>to them?’ She grabbed her head. ‘I’ve never had <em>anyone </em>besides my family. I was in their house for <em>one day. </em>Calliope doesn’t even like me! But it just feels right to be with them and wrong to turn them in. How can I <em>betray </em>people I don’t know??’</p><p>Her work phone buzzed. There were several group messages from Nicol bragging about his team and himself, calling her out specifically. She also had a few messages from the Director and his assistants asking for more updates. Her pupils dilated; it was starting to piss her off. It kept buzzing and buzzing as a call came in from the office, only serving to make her angrier.</p><p>‘And how can I feel such loyalty to those who do <em>this </em>to me?!” She turned off the phone completely and slammed it hard on her dash board until the screen shattered. Starting to hyperventilate,  she started the engine in her car, drove it to her mother’s home and barged in the front door.</p><p>            “Mom!” She shouted. Her mother rushed into the entrance room and exclaimed.</p><p>“Oh my, Amelia. Bubba’s fine. What’s the matter?”</p><p>“The D.O.I…how old was I when they first took me?” Amelia huffed, out of breath.</p><p>“I don’t remember much, honey and they wouldn’t tell me a lot of what happened. You were about…8 at the youngest.” Her mother replied. Her dog rushed in to greet and calm her. “Why?”</p><p>“Mom they’ve been kidnapping people because they maybe connected to mythology or they have other weird powers. I’m not some special F.B.I. Agent or detective…I-I’m a <em>kidnapper </em>for the government.” Amelia began to cry. “They were experimenting on me back then, mom. And when they didn’t get what they wanted from me…they took the next best thing…myself.”</p><p>“A-are you sure you should be telling me this?” Her mother gasped. ”I-I guess I kinda of already <em>knew </em>that they were up to no good. All the times I watched them drag you kicking and screaming. They wouldn’t tell me where they were taking you or why. Just that it was government business and that you would be home safely in a day at the latest. But this... I-“</p><p>“I-I can’t hold it in anymore…this new assignment is messing with my head. They all seem so nice and happy. And they want me to take them from that happiness and subject them to whatever the hell they did to me? <em>They were willing to do that to me as a child?! </em>Mom what do I do?”</p><p>“I-I don’t know, I…”</p><p>“I know it’s a lot.” Amelia began to calm a bit to avoid freaking her mother out any worse. “I-I just don’t want to make the wrong choice…”</p><p>“What do you think your choices are Amelia?” Her mother asked trying to process all the information her daughter just dumped on her.</p><p>“Turn them in and continue my work. Or protect them and runaway from the department,” Amelia gasped. “It’s all I can think of.”</p><p>“I think only you can make that choice,” her mother answered after a few minutes. “I-I don’t know what to tell you... I guess I was faced with this same choice in a way myself. Had I known what they were doing to you... “</p><p>“Y-yeah… you’re probably right.” Amelia nodded sadly. “Sorry to freak you out.” She lowered down to pet Bubba and let him know she wasn’t ignoring him.</p><p>“It’s fine, dear. Why don’t you stay for dinner and relax. You’re obviously under a high amount of distress.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. I Wanna Runaway...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Time to ditch those who use you, for those who treat you like a human being.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>…Never say goodbye<br/>I wanna know the truth<br/>Instead of wondering why<br/>I wanna know the answers<br/>No more lies<br/>-RUNAWAY, LINKIN PARK-</p>
<p>This is meant to be take literally in the context of the chapter.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Over the next few weeks, Amelia continued to get to know Kiara and her friends, much to Calliope’s distaste. Eventually, she stopped thinking of them by their target names and instead by their actual given ones. It was starting to become an issue for her to keep meeting them and to also meet her end goal. The more she got to know the four of them, the more she felt she couldn’t take them in to the department. There were a few times she thought she could get away with abducting them one at a time, but Calliope watched her like a hawk. She wasn’t likely to pick any of them off, especially not alone. There was no changing it, even if she wanted to take them in, she’d likely fail. Amelia found herself no longer updating the department of her progress as well. The headset was locked away in her car; she had no need for it. She finally decided that she wasn’t going to turn them in. She didn’t know why, or how, but she couldn’t let the D.O.I. have them. More importantly, she no longer wanted the D.O.I. To have <em>her</em>, either. She finally had the answer to the question from the other night.</p>
<p>“Hey Ame!” Gura greeted her as she walked in the door. It took awhile but Amelia had grown accustomed to the extra features on Gura and Ina. Amelia never really got to know many people. The only ones like that at the D.O.I. were the test subjects. In fact, she didn’t even know if she was the only member with a power or not.</p>
<p>“Hello Gura,” Watson greeted the shark-girl back with a smile. “How’ve you been? Also, I need to talk to Calli.”</p>
<p>“I’ve been alright. Calli is in her room, she may not want to be disturbed. Is something the matter?” Gura replied.</p>
<p>“No it’s fine. This is something only she can help with.” Amelia said firmly. “I’m gonna risk bugging her anyway, then maybe we can hang out.”</p>
<p>“Sure.” Gura nodded and went back to what she had been doing before. Amelia walked over to the door she knew headed to Calliope’s room and knocked.</p>
<p>“Listen I know you don’t like me that much, but I’m like 100 percent sure you’re the only one who can help me with this.” Amelia said into the door.</p>
<p>“Come in then, Watson.” Calli’s voice called back. The detective opened the door and entered the dark room, closing it behind her.</p>
<p>“What is it?”</p>
<p>“Calli…I need you to not freak out when I say this. You’re right to be suspicious of me.” Amelia fished out the folders and threw them onto Calliope’s floor. “I was sent by the government agency to track, follow, and eventually take you guys in.”</p>
<p>“Why are you telling me this now?” Calliope gave her an annoyed glance. “You better answer carefully.”</p>
<p>“Because…I don’t want to do it anymore.” Ame mumbled. “There’s something about you guys that is pushing me away from them. You guys…treat me like a human being. Like a friend. Did you know I’ve never had another friend since school? When I’m with the D.O.I., they make me feel cold and used. I have nightmares from when they were experimenting on <em>me. </em>I was a <em>child. </em>Pulling my hair out for DNA, taking blood samples. So <em>many tests that my memory won’t even show me. </em>And it finally hit me…that’s what they’re doing to the people I bring in, isn’t in? I knew they experimented but…I couldn’t imagine what it was like till now.” She kept getting progressively louder, and panicked. It all seemed to flow out. “I’m just another test subject aren’t I? They were grooming me from such a young age to join them because of my power, what could I do?” She fell to her knees and grabbed the sides of her head. “I’ve been their tool for so long. <em>A</em><em>m I even a real person anymore?!</em>”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Calli looked at the Detective in shock. If this is what one of their agents felt like, she feared what the effects on normal test subjects were like. Over the time Amelia had been with them, the missing persons had been returning and the threat to Calli and her friends seemed to be dying down. None of the people who returned knew what had happened or where they had been, however. Everything was so vague and in the air. She didn’t know what to do herself. After a minute, Calli finally got out of her chair and held her hand out to Watson to help her back to a standing position. She then picked up and tore apart the files Amelia had been keeping on them and thought out her next words carefully.</p>
<p>“Then what is it do you want?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>            Amelia looked into the eyes of the taller woman and thought as hard as she could.</p>
<p>“I-I want to be free…free of my past…free of my evil…free of them,” Amelia whispered. “I want to be with you guys instead…you all make me feel…real.”</p>
<p>Calli tumbled her answer around in her head and took a deep breath in. “Watson…if you want to get away from them…you can stay here with us. They know where you live and will likely trash it if they come looking for you. But I swear to god if anything happens to them, you’re as good as dead. I don’t care what Lord Death has to say about it. I’m trusting you with their safety by letting you in.”</p>
<p>“Lord…Death? So <em>you’re</em> not Death?” Amelia asked wiping tears from her face.</p>
<p>“No…I am one of his many students.” Calliope answered.</p>
<p>“Calli…have we met before…?” Watson continued. “I see you in my nightmares sometimes…it started when I saw your picture in that file…”</p>
<p>“We have not <em>formally </em>met before the day Kiara dragged you here against my wishes, no.” Calliope started. “I however <em>have</em> been watching you from afar all your life. You are one of many people on a list Death has given me that I will one day collect the soul of and return it to the afterlife.”</p>
<p>“So the day of the house fire…the one I can still see in my dreams…”</p>
<p>“Yes. I was there. And I stood by until I was sure I knew if you were going to die or not.” Calli nodded. “It was a horrible fire indeed. But enough about that…make yourself comfortable, I guess. One thing though…why did you say only I could help you with this?”</p>
<p>“Because I knew that you had your suspicions of me…and you’re obviously the one in charge here.” Amelia smirked weakly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>            Amelia sat down next to Gura and sighed. “Well that’s it then.”</p>
<p>“What’s up Watson?” Gura asked, not looking away from the game she was playing.</p>
<p>“I’m going to be staying with you guys for a bit. I need to clear my head…my life hasn’t been the best and I needed to get away from part of it.”</p>
<p>“Really?” Gura looked away as she paused the screen. She wondered what had happened in Calli’s room that would have made the Reaper allow Amelia to stay.</p>
<p>“Yup. So get ready cause you’re gonna have to deal with losing a lot more now that I’m here!” Ame closed her eyes and gave the shark a big smile.</p>
<p>“In your dreams Watson,” Gura shot back. “You wish you could be that good.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>            “So what now?” Ina asked Calliope as she appeared from the shadow’s in the room.</p>
<p>“You have a real bad habit of listening in…and reminding us that you’re connected to ancient deities in disturbing ways,” Calli whispered. “You saw what happened, I assume. You talk about me being out of character, but you’ve been kinda short lately.”</p>
<p>“So even the Grim Reaper’s apprentice is afraid of the Ancient Ones? Interesting.” Ina pondered the idea before continuing her thought. “You think you’re the only one worried about the disappearances, Calli? May I remind you which one of us has the more human-like appearance. I said you shouldn’t jump to conclusions, but you ended up being right. I want to know what you want us to do next.”</p>
<p>“Gura was right though too when it first came up. She hasn’t done anything to us. Listen, I’m not dropping my guard. But I’ll admit that her breakdown made me cave a bit.” Calli sighed. “Whatever is going on with her is exactly what I’m worried about. She’s one they <em>hired</em>. Can you <em>imagine </em>the effects the testing might have on someone they turned back into the world. The fear and paranoia.”</p>
<p>“Right. Listen I have no issues with Watson. I just wanted to make sure you still knew what your plan was.” Ina shrugged. “Especially since you maintain you can’t kill her before her natural end comes.”</p>
<p>“We take her in. If they come for her, we stop them. They come for <em>us</em>, we stop them and she faces the consequences if it was her doing. You guys get captured or <em>hurt…</em>no one can save her from me,” Calli told her friend. “I don’t have anything against her either. I’ve watched her for years Ina…I admire her resilience. I just hope this doesn’t come back to bite us.”</p>
<p>“Good enough for me,” Ina nodded. “I’m going to the front room. You should join us. Kiara will be back soon. You know how worried she gets about you when you hole up like this.”</p>
<p>“Right.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sir. It’s been nearly 2 weeks since the Detective went on her assignment. And at least a week and a half since her last update. What should we do?”</p>
<p>The Director turned to face his assistant, pinching the bridge of his nose. “For now we must have trust she’s doing her job. It <em>was </em>a pretty hearty load to give even her. If she’s not back in another month, we start looking.”</p>
<p>“Very well, sir.” The assistant nodded and turned to leave.</p>
<p>“You’re a pain in my ass Detective.” The Director grumbled to himself. “I swear to god, if you are actually trying to screw me out of the biggest find in this department’s <em>history</em>, you will pay dearly.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. At The Bottom of Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Nighttime confessions.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>“Thou hast lost thy friend before thine eyes; there are no words to comfort thee.” -Frog/Glenn, Chrono Trigger</p>
<p>The track At The Bottom of Night from the game Chrono Trigger, plays at some of the more emotional parts of the story. I chose to name this chapter after it as it was the first thing I thought of. And also, to lose even more originality points, it takes place at night.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Amelia sat on the couch of her new home. She had agreed to sleep in the living room. It still amazed her that the little house had <em>four</em> bedrooms. Of course, that came with the sacrifice of a smaller kitchen area and only one bathroom. The living room area itself was just the one couch and a couple of small chairs, and of course the T.V. Kiara had suggested giving Amelia her room and moving in with Calliope. That idea was shut down immediately, but not with a definite no. Calli had just blushed a bit and said, “W-why would that be necessary? She said she’d be fine in here.”</p>
<p>Amelia had texted her mother and told her the situation, but made sure to leave out any details that may put any of them in danger. She also told her where a key was so her mother could retrieve the rest of Bubba’s stuff. Once she felt safer, Amelia would pick the dog up so that her mother wouldn’t be stuck with him for much longer.</p>
<p>She pocketed her cell phone and sighed. Laying down and looking up at the ceiling, she wondered what was going to happen. Surely it wouldn’t be too much longer until the D.O.I. attempted to search her out.</p>
<p>‘Best not to worry about that now.’ She thought. ‘In retrospect, I shouldn’t have busted up that company phone. But at least they won’t be able to track me on it anymore.’ She sat back up and slipped off her coat and laid back down. </p>
<p>‘But when that time comes…what can I do to help?’ She tossed and turned a bit, her mind going over scenarios of an attack that were keeping her from getting comfortable.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>            Gura looked out the crack in her door to see if their new friend was doing alright. She could hear the rustling of the couch in the front room and wasn’t sure what was going on.</p>
<p>“Calli told us she’s had a rough time in that place. But she wouldn’t tell us what exactly happened to her,” she whispered to herself. It was at this point that Amelia finally rolled off the couch completely.</p>
<p>“SHIT!!” Ame exclaimed rubbing her head. Gura ran out to see if she was ok.</p>
<p>“You good, Watson?” She asked helping her into a sitting position.</p>
<p>“Fine, but now I’ve found out that I have a <em>stalker</em>.” Amelia laughed, her hand still on where she bumped her head.</p>
<p>“You wish. Your tossing and turning was so loud it kept me up too.” Gura shot back. “Do you always have this much trouble sleeping?”</p>
<p>“It’s a more…recent development,” Amelia answered pulling herself back up onto the couch. She stayed sitting so Gura had some space. “A lot’s been going on in my mind and it can trigger nightmares every now and then.”</p>
<p>The shark-girl sat down next to her, unsure of how to respond. “What kind of nightmares?” She finally inquired.</p>
<p>“The people I ran away from…they were doing experiments on me because of my power ever since I was little…” Amelia reached into her coat pocket and pulled out the pocket watch and held in to her chest. “When they found out they couldn’t somehow give other people my power…they hired me to keep me close…”</p>
<p>Gura looked in the detective’s saddened eyes and asked, “What is your power? What did they want to get from you so badly?”</p>
<p>“Gura…I can travel back in time.” Amelia answered. “I never usually go back more than a day or two anyway. I carry this old family watch because it helps me focus on where I want to go. Without it I fear I could lose myself if I tried to use my ability. You’re the only one not from the department’s higher ups that knows. Not even my mother…they wouldn’t tell her why they were taking me. What was she going to do? Tell the government agents that they couldn’t have me? I’m sure it scared her shitless every time they showed up to get me.”</p>
<p>Gura wasn’t sure how to respond. Time travel was certainly not the answer she was expecting. A power to change history and it was, up until now, in the hands of a shady government agency. Calli had told them that Amelia had admitted she was originally supposed to bring them it, as they had suspected. She didn’t know how they could’ve combated an ability like that had Ame never broke away from the government. Gura broke the emotional tension with a rather large yawn. The two laughed over it for a second before Gura got up and returned to her room. After the other girl left Amelia laid down once more and drifted off. She found that in the first time in weeks, she had a peaceful sleep.</p>
<p>           </p>
<p>            The Director of the D.O.I. was starting to lose his patience. At this, rate he was beginning to wonder if it was worth the extra month of waiting. He pushed a button and called in Nicol.</p>
<p>“What is it you want sir?” He asked upon exiting the elevator that led directly into the boss’ office.</p>
<p>“I want you and your <em>Elder Dragon </em>team to track down The Detective.” He hated Nicol and his team’s names, and having to say it aloud was only pissing him off more. “Bring her in <em>with </em>the targets she was supposed to capture. I want her brought to <em>me </em>first. The others need to go to a high level containment center, is that <em>understood?”</em></p>
<p>Nicol smirked. “Yes, sir.” He bowed and left to collect his team. <em>This</em> was the assignment he was waiting for his whole career. The Detective had done something stupid, and now it was <em>him </em>that would take her to answer for her mistakes.</p>
<p>           </p>
<p>            Amelia and Gura sat back out on the couch again that morning and played games together, while Ina, Kiara and Calli discussed the idea of the D.O.I. coming for all of them in Calli’s room.</p>
<p>“She said that the files aren’t turned in until the targets are. Assuming that’s true, it means that any info they have on us is vague and probably wrong,” Calliope started. “They will come for her, no matter if she wants them to or not. We need to be ready, especially if they’re <em>that </em>unprepared.” She was on the bed, with Kiara beaming next to her and Ina leaning on the wall.</p>
<p>“I assume neither of you two heard what she told Gura last night.” Ina said.</p>
<p>“You really do see and hear everything that happens in this house, don’t you Ina?” Kiara smirked.</p>
<p>“I do. It’s an advantage of being able to blend in with the dark. When she fell last night and Gura ran out to check on her, she told her about her power.” Ina nodded. “She claims to be able to <em>time travel.</em>”</p>
<p>Calliope and Kiara were taken off guard, there’s no way that could be true.</p>
<p>“Ok,” Calli finally said, “I think we may have less time than we think. She said we were high level targets. And there’s no way they’ll want to let go of such an asset like her power.”</p>
<p>“What do we do then?” Kiara inquired.</p>
<p>“We prepare for their arrival.” Calli answered.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Who Can Say...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Change continue.<br/>More just hanging out stuff.<br/>Calm before the storm and all that.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>…if I’ve been changed for the better<br/>But, because I knew you<br/>I have been changed, for good…<br/>-FOR GOOD, FRANK SCHWARTZ-</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nicol was not given a folder for the Detective, as the Director still wanted her amongst their ranks and thus felt her information was not for Nicol to view. He shook his head. If the boss really thought that The Detective was trying to hide the targets from them, then she should be considered a traitor, and her record should be unsealed so Nicol could have access to it. There was no doubt useful information within that would make catching her much easier. </p><p>‘He <em>really </em>doesn’t want people knowing her power, huh?’ Nicol thought as he narrowed his eyes. Due to this lack of information, he and his team did not know where to start. All they <em>were</em> given were copies of the four target files identical to the ones Amelia was given at the beginning of her assignment. However, the Detective stopped updating the Department, they did not contain any of the information that she had gathered before falling off the radar.</p><p>“Vaevictus should scout around town.” Arcades broke the silence. “Actually with as little info as we have, if may be a good idea if we <em>all </em>do.”</p><p>Nicol only nodded. “Right. Unless anyone wants to argue with our strategist, we need to get on that.” With that, the five nodded to each other, exited their vehicle and split up.</p><p> </p><p>            Calli rolled her eyes watched from her doorway as Amelia and Gura were shoving each other in the front room; something about not properly explaining a game. Calliope really didn’t care to know the details. The two of them had been doing this at least once a day for the now month Amelia had been staying with them. She walked passed them and sat at the table with Kiara, dragged her hands down her own face.</p><p>“Rough night?” Kiara asked the reaper as she sat down.</p><p>“Cursed...” Calliope replied. “I need to check on other souls I’m tasked to look over today, so you know, probably gonna have to visit the afterlife.”</p><p>“Ame is certainly doing better than she was.” Kiara smiled. “She’s opening up more, and not freezing up when we address her casually. Still…do you think she’s as worried as <em>you </em>are?”</p><p>“She knows them better than we do,” Calliope answered. “I’m sure she’s terrified. But at the same time, she also wants to enjoy this new freedom she suddenly has. If we had room, I’d offer to take her mother in too, but the dog is already going to be a hassle.” She stood up and turned to go out the door. “I’m leaving things to you and Ina. Just keep everyone out of trouble and safe. From those agents-“ Just then, a crashing sound came from Watson and Gura as both fell to the floor and Calliope narrowed her eyes. “-and each other, apparently.”</p><p>“You can count on me Calli!” Kiara exclaimed, getting up to hug her friend. Death’s student sighed and rolled her eyes before hugging Kiara back and walking out the door.</p><p> </p><p>            Amelia and Gura fell to the floor and laughed for a second before realizing that it kinda hurt.</p><p>“Next time just explain it <em>right!” </em>Gura laughed. She sat up and waited for Amelia’s response.</p><p>“It’s not <em>my </em>fault you don’t understand chess. Do you really think <em>I’m </em>a good teacher either way??” Ame shot back. She stayed on her back, looking at the ceiling again like the other night. “I couldn’t even talk to people casually till recently. I mean, like for real. I’d done it for jobs before, but definitely not for more than a few minutes.”</p><p>Her tone dropped again and Gura tried her best to keep things on the positive.</p><p>“Don’t worry about all that,” she told Amelia. “That’s all behind you. You’re with us now. You’ve been through a lot. I know you and Calli think who ever those people are, are going to come back for you, and probably us too. But it’s gonna work out. We won’t let them have their way.”</p><p>“Thanks.” Amelia closed her eyes and sighed.</p><p> </p><p>Ina moved from her place in the front room to the table after Calliope left the house and sat down her sketchbook.</p><p>“Morning sketching?” Kiara asked.</p><p>“Yeah.” Ina smirked. “Not that sleeping in was possible with <em>only </em>Gura here, but I definitely won’t get any extra rest with both of them like this.”</p><p>“Mornings aren’t bad. Of course, don’t take my word for it, I’ve always been an <em>early bird</em>.” Kiara put emphasis on the end to shoe in the joke. Ina giggled with a slight eye roll.</p><p>“Good one, but a bit predictable.”</p><p>“Fair enough.” Kiara shrugged. “What were you drawing anyway?” Ina thumbed through the book and opened it to her page from that morning.</p><p>“I may have used the four of you as involuntary models for practice.”</p><p>Kiara studied the page and saw that her friend had drawn Amelia and Gura as they were fighting, as well as her and Calliope standing during their conversation earlier.</p><p>“I would’ve drawn your hug, but I’m not that fast.” Ina said.</p><p>“It looks great, as always.” Kiara smiled as she looked over the drawing. “Need to eat, or are you good?”</p><p>“Thank you.” Ina picked up the book to go show the others. “I got myself something earlier.”</p><p> </p><p>            “Wow!” Amelia looked at the page in the drawing book in amazement, she had never seen someone draw so well before. Her likeness on the page was almost uncanny.</p><p>Gura laughed. “Yeah, Ina’s pretty great with her art,” Gura agreed with a nod. “Are you free right now? You should play with us.”</p><p>“I guess I could.” Ina replied putting her book up. “Sounds like fun.”</p><p>Gura and Amelia sat on the floor to make sure Ina had the room she needed to be comfortable. They then loaded up a game they could all play and it wasn’t long before they were having fun.</p><p>“So Amelia,” Ina started, “how do you like it here?”</p><p>“I’m enjoying myself for…the first time in a while, if not in forever.”</p><p>She thought about her childhood, before the department. They recruited her right out of school and it took up all of her time from then on. Reading, concerts, and playing with her brother were all put on hold. All of her fondest memories were at that time. She was shaken out of the thought when she heard the game over sound. </p><p>“Goddammit!” She exclaimed. Ina and Gura laughed at her annoyance and continued the game until it was time to start it over.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. I Wish...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>And now the storm is here.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>...That I could turn back time<br/>Cause now the guilt is all mine<br/>Can’t live without the trust from those you love</p><p>-KOMM SUSSER TOD, ARIANNE-</p><p>Some may recognize *this* Komm Susser Tod (Not the JS Bach piece) from The End of Evangelion.<br/>Meaning ‘Come, Sweet Death’ in German, the song is of realizing that one has made many mistakes in life and has presumably owed up to it too late.</p><p>Gonna be real... I only used it for the ‘I Wish, That I Could Turn back Time’ line, cause it fit way too well.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It wouldn’t be until later that night, Calliope busted in the door frantically.</p><p>“Watson!” she exclaimed, almost out of breath. Amelia’s head shot up from her place on the couch and Gura looked around it from the floor where she was sitting.</p><p>“Yeah? What’s up?”</p><p>Calli rushed over.</p><p>“There’s five shady looking people I’ve never seen before looking all over town for something. It is practically my job to know everyone in this city to some degree. Given the circumstances, it’s safe to assume it’s them isn’t it?”</p><p>“The Elder Dragons...” Ame exclaimed. “It’s not just them Calli.. they sent the best team they had.”</p><p>“Who?” Calli and Gura pressed in unison.</p><p>“His code name is Nicol…” Amelia shook her head. “Him and his friends call themselves “The Elder Dragons of the D.O.I.” He’s a highly competitive when it comes to his work. It gets on my nerves. Thing is, he has the success rate to back it up.”</p><p>“Yeah, I do.” Nicol pushed out the door and Amelia’s eyes widened in shock. Calli turned to see him as well.</p><p>“How the hell?” Amelia stared at him as she stood up slowly. “I destroyed my phone. You’d of had to blindly look around town to find us.”</p><p>“Your ear piece Detective. It’s bugged too. All of ours are. When I got sick of looking with fuck all for clues, Chrom had the great idea to see if the H.Q. would track it. Low and behold…” Nicol held up the small microphone. “We found your car and busted it open. Next time, if you’re gonna destroy company property, make sure you get all of it.”</p><p>“Sir. Found target ‘Firebird’ at the store.” Palladia’s voice crackled over Nicol’s own earpiece.</p><p>“Wait till she leaves. If she fights back, you don’t want to cause a scene in public.” He called back. “I have ‘Lost City,’ ‘Lady Death’ and the Detective here. The car was a good lead; their house was right across the street.” He shook his head. “That’s four of five. So Detective, where’s target ‘Lovecraft?’ The boss only wants them to be taken in. I’m to take you to him. Why don’t you beg for some praise and redemption by giving her up?”</p><p>“Like hell.” Amelia sneered as she got up. “And it’s not ‘Detective.’ My name is Amelia Watson.”</p><p>“Watson. Seriously, <em>Watson?” </em>Nicol stifled a laugh. “You tell me I have a bad codename. Yet yours,and your whole get up, is based on a fictional character too!”</p><p>“At least mine was a bit more subtle…” she sighed. “So where are the others? I doubt you came to a spot with multiple targets alone.”</p><p>“You know me so well.” Nicol gave her another overly smug grin as he entered the front doorway with Chromium, Vaevictus, and Arcades. “I only sent Palladia alone. Because she can handle herself fine.”</p><p> </p><p>            Ina listened from her room. The agency had found them.</p><p>“Oh well, we all saw it coming sooner or later.” She opened the door and went into the front room to join the situation.</p><p>“Ah. There she is.” Nicol laughed as eh turned his radio back on. “Palladia, get her. <em>All </em>of the others are here.”</p><p>“Heard, sir.” With that Nicol left his radio on and the vague sounds of a struggle could be heard. “Target caught, headed to your position.”</p><p>“Efficient as always.” Nicol replied.</p><p>“So what’s the plan Calli?” Ina asked. Calliope had fire in her eyes, gritting her teeth. Gura and Amelia had never seen her so furious, it scared them a bit.</p><p>“I’m gonna fu-“</p><p>“Ah ah.” Nicol waved a finger. “If ‘Firebird’ is in fact a phoenix, I should be able to kill her with no worries, right? So ‘Lady Death,’ here’s my idea. We wait for my colleague to arrive with your friend. Then either we take you all in, or you resist and the <em>survivors</em> get taken in anyway.”</p><p>“Watson…?” Calli asked, barely keeping her temper in. “They were your people, what do <em>you</em> think we should do?”</p><p>“Regardless, we should wait.” Amelia gulped and replied sheepishly. “Even if we took them out, the other agent could get away with Kiara.”</p><p>“Fine.”</p><p>            About fifteen minutes passed before Palladia arrived with Kiara over her shoulder.</p><p>“OK. Time for thinking is up. How’s this goin’ down girls?” Nicol asked, throwing his hands to the side. Amelia looked to Calli who had calmed a bit to see Kiara was ok, besides being captive and knocked out.</p><p>“I can’t get involved. If I kill one of them, I could see severe consequences,” she told Amelia. “It’s your call.” Amelia started to feel light-headed. What could <em>she </em>do in this situation?</p><p>“Ina? Gura?” She choked out. She started thinking of her flashbacks and nightmares, shaking at the thought of them facing the same horrors. “We can’t let them do this.”</p><p>“We’re with you Watson.” Gura nodded picking up her trident. “I told you this already.”</p><p>“We’ve been planning this for a while. We’ll take them, you deal with the leader.” Ina agreed.</p><p>“I was <em>hoping </em>you’d say that!’ Nicol exclaimed as he quick drew and shot at Amelia’s leg. She narrowly got out of the way and fell over. Ina grabbed Kiara up with one of her tentacles and threw her to Calli.</p><p>“Get her out of here!” Calliope nodded and ran out the back with her friend in tow. Nicol shook his head. “She’s trying to even the field by breaking us up, Vaevictus, go alone so we can maintain advantage.” His teammate nodded and ran out after her. He walked over to where Ame had fallen over shaking his head.</p><p>“This isn’t how I thought I’d be defeating you, but I’ll take it.” Suddenly something swung by his face and Nicol ducked.</p><p>“You’re not taking her anywhere.” Gura smirked and twirled the three-pronged weapon for another jab at him.</p><p>“Your skill with that weapon is not to be taken lightly. However, I far outclass you in combat experience.” Nicol rolled his eyes as he dodged again. “You’re not worth my time. Me and the Detective have unfinished business. Besides, you wouldn’t want your other friend to be left alone.” Gura turned and saw that the other three had all been focused on Ina, and while she had more power, their numbers were still getting the best of her. She looked at Amelia who was still on the ground.</p><p>“Go help her.” Ame told her. Gura nodded and ran over.</p><p>“I told you. Even if you resist, we’ll take you all in.” Nicol shrugged.</p><p>“Bite me.” Ame spat at him, drawing her own gun and hitting him in the shoulder. He yelled out and grabbed her up by the collar in retaliation. By this time, Chromium had Gura in a lock and subdued, while the other two were struggling to keep Ina down. Amelia looked around and almost teared up. This was her fault, wasn’t it? The one good thing she had, the D.O.I. had to try and crush it too.</p><p>“Gura…Ina…I’m sorry.” She watched as the two were loaded into a vehicle outside.</p><p>“You should’ve just did your job, Detective.” Nicol spat. “Now look, we had to get rough. Anyway, you’re going straight to the boss. You’ll likely be jailed for treason and failure to do your given job.”</p><p>“Job…huh…” Amelia whispered. “Nicol…can you…can you give me my medicine in my coat pocket?”</p><p>“I guess I’ve kicked you while you were down enough.” He dug in her coat after putting her down in the seat, then threw her the syringe he found. “What the hell is it for anyway?”</p><p>Amelia looked at it and shuttered again for a minute before answering. She pulled her watch out as well and laughed with a face full of tears.</p><p>“The side effects of my power you idiot…” she plunged it into her leg. Then she gripped the watch hard. The last thing she remembered was Nicol shouting after her, then darkness.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. But... The Future Refused To Change</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sometimes things can’t always go your way.<br/>Multiversal singularities.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>“The past is dead. It was all just a dream...” -Magus, Chrono Trigger</p><p>If you elect to face the final boss of Chrono Trigger early and lose, you watch the world end as the screen goes black and gives you the message “But... The Future Refused To Change.”<br/>Your choice is to reload your save or to turn off the game.</p><p>This is the feeling I think works here.</p><p>No I don’t actually understand mutliversal singularities, I just watch the same damn Transformers video about Unicron once a month.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Loop 1:</p><p>            Amelia woke up on the couch, gasping for air as if she just surfaced from under the water.</p><p>‘I can fix this. I <em>have to </em>fix this.’ She thought. It was done. She had gone back in time to that morning. Instead of waiting for Gura she jumped up and took care of the first mistake she could think of.</p><p>‘How the hell did I not think they could track me through an ear piece. Maybe cause its so damn small and impractical.’ She chastised herself as she gunned it across the street to her car. She unlocked the door and tore open her glove box to find the device, threw it on the ground, and stomped it into pieces.</p><p>‘There.’ She breathed a sigh of relief. ‘That will only buy them time. Nicol and the Elders are likely already in the city.’ She ran back to the house to think of something else to change. On her way back in she ran into Calliope who stared her down for a second and then said after making eye contact.</p><p>“So it <em>is </em>true.”</p><p>            “W-what do you mean?” Ame stuttered. “What’s true?”</p><p>“Ina heard you and Gura talking the other night. You can <em>actually </em>time travel, Watson.” Calli answered. “I’ve seen so many things in my near infinite time. But never this.”</p><p>Ame’s mouth dropped in shock before she stammered again. “Y-you’re not supposed to remember…”</p><p>“No. My guess is normal mortals are not supposed to remember.” Calli countered. “But what you don’t know is: As practical forces of nature, Lord Death and his students are singular. There may be different versions of us. But we all share the same soul, and memories. So…I assume you destroyed the earpiece then?”</p><p>“Y-yeah.” Amelia tried to wrap her head around it but, decided it wasn’t worth the headache. “It’ll only buy time though. They’re obviously in the city.”</p><p>“Now that I know who they are, I can keep a better look out for them. Tell Kiara not to go out tonight.” Calli started back on her walk. “I still need to do my job.”</p><p>“Right.” Ame nodded and went back into the house.</p><p> </p><p>            “Oh there you are.”  Kiara said as Amelia entered the home. “Where’d you go?”</p><p>“Oh I was just getting my car ready to go get Bubba from my mom later. I caught Calli on her way out, she told you not to go to the store tonight. She’d stop by on her way home,” Ame answered as she walked into the living room. Gura was playing a music game and Ina was taking this rare time of her sitting relatively still to draw her.</p><p>“Alright.” Kiara shrugged. “I told her not to worry about it, but I guess I’ll let it go.”</p><p>“She’s probably just thinking efficiently. No reason for you to go out if she’s already there.” Amelia shrugged as she sat down with just enough force to jostle the couch and throw Gura off focus.</p><p>“Watson every time you do that I get closer and closer to impaling you I swear.” She sighed pinching the bridge of her nose.</p><p>“How do you know that’s not what I want?” Ame asked teasingly. Ina just rolled her eyes, especially since she was almost done and got up before the two of them started again.</p><p>“Oh Ame always with the, the clever comeback huh?” Gura narrowed her eyes jokingly and shoved her lightly before getting back to her game.</p><p>“Hey Gura, wanna come get my dog with me?” Amelia asked after a second.</p><p>           </p><p>“H.Q. says there’s no signal from the Detective’s phone or earpiece,” Chromium said after getting off the call with the lab.</p><p>“<em>Fantastic</em>.” Nicol curled his lip. “They won’t unseal her record. We don’t have nearly <em>half </em>of the info that she collected before going AWOL, and now we can’t even depend on a tracking signal.” Just then, he saw something on the street he recognized. A car drove passed that he recognized from the department’s parking lot. There was no telling how long it had been driving from or from where, but right now it was all they had.</p><p>“Arcades and Vaevictus…try to figure out where it came from. Chrom and I will follow it. Palladia, keep searching the city,” Nicol finally decided. The five nodded and took their separate routes.</p><p> </p><p>            Amelia’s mother was shocked to see the huge shark tail attached to Gura and nearly fainted. Bubba at the very least was amused by it, as Ame had to pick the dog up to keep him from batting at it.</p><p>“Anyway,” Amelia started once they were all sat at her mother’s table. “This is Gura…she’s one of my new friends I’ve been staying with.”</p><p>“Hello, ma’am. Sorry if I scared you earlier.”</p><p>“Oh it’s quite fine. I don’t get out much, so this is my first time seeing someone with animal features like this.”</p><p>Amelia smiled as she watched as her mother and friend get along together. It was the first time she could remember being able to experience something like this. She excused herself and took Bubba to get him situated in the car. She sat with the dog alone for a moment and sighed.</p><p>“Boy, I can’t handle all this…it’s so new, yet feels like I <em>should</em> already know how to handle and process it.” The dog licked her face and she rolled her eyes.</p><p>“Yeah it just comes naturally for you doesn’t it?” It was then she heard her mother’s window break and Gura shout in fear. She jumped up fast enough to see one of Nicol’s teammates run out with the shark-girl knocked out over his shoulder. She fired a few shots and missed. Cursing, she tried to keep an eye on him. But when she lost him, it dawned on her that she needed to check on her mother.</p><p>            Amelia’s mother sat on the floor in shock. She was physically fine, but the encounter no doubt frightened her to her core.</p><p>“H-he just…t-there was nothing…I...”</p><p>“Mom, it’s fine.” Amelia could hardly hold back her anger, and guilt. “I need to go chase him. He’s from the department. Are you going to be ok?”</p><p>“Y-yes hon. Please, just go help your friend.”</p><p> </p><p>            Calliope barged in the front door of her home, found a small pile of ashes and no trace of Ina anywhere. Watson ran in shortly after.</p><p>“No, no, no.” Amelia started to panic. “Not here too.” Glass was all over the floor and the house was ransacked, likely from a fight.</p><p>“What the <em>hell </em>happened?!” Calli demanded.</p><p>“They showed up at my mom’s house and snatched Gura…what about here?”</p><p>“I was hurrying back to make sure Kiara was going to stay put. They were already gone…they even killed her so they could transport her as an egg it seems…” Calli clenched her fists. “How’d they find us <em>this </em>time?!”</p><p>“I-I honestly don’t know…” Amelia puzzled.</p><p>“Your car.” Nicol interrupted as he came out of Calliope’s room. “I’ve seen it around the department before. I saw you on your way to your mom’s house. We cross referenced the database after we followed you and found your mother’s name and address on file <em>Watson. </em>It matched where you stopped and we went from there. And what do you mean <em>this </em>time?”</p><p>“None of your business.” Amelia growled. “Where are they?”</p><p>“On their way to the D.O.I. lab I’d wager. I sent everyone on ahead. I just needed to stay back to tie up the loose ends.” Nicol answered smugly.</p><p>“T-this never happens…” Amelia began to shake. “Every time I <em>go back </em>I fix the issue. So <em>why?”</em></p><p>Calliope turned to see Watson beginning to break. “We need to try again then. We can’t take an entire <em>organization </em>alone Watson.”</p><p>“R-right.”</p><p>            “Whoa, whoa. Imma need some answers girls.” Nicol put his hands up. “What the hell are you two mumbling about?”</p><p>“None of your concern.” Amelia shot back as she also shot at him to keep him back. “Calli there are four syringes in my coat pocket. I need you to grab one and inject me or each trip will gradually degrade my body. I’m usually fine after one or two trips, but I really don’t want to take the chance, especially if we <em>fail </em>again.” She threw the reaper her overcoat and continued firing to keep Nicol back against the wall.</p><p>“Right.” Calliope dug around until she found the medicine and walked over to Amelia and administered the dose.</p><p>“We’re going to wake up on this morning again.” Amelia started and she tried to keep steady fire and reach for her watch. “We need to get rid of the car, as well as repeat any and all changes we made this time.”</p><p>Calliope nodded and stood in between the two. “Do it, now.”</p><p>Amelia closed her eyes, focused, and clicked the watch again.</p><p>‘Why? Why had the future refused to change?’ she let the thought consume her until she blacked out again.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Where Did I Go Wrong?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The second in many time loops. See ‘Groundhog’s Day’.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I Lost A Friend, Somewhere Along In The Bitterness<br/>And I Would Have Stayed Up With You All Night<br/>Had I Known, How To Save A Life…<br/>-HOW TO SAVE A LIFE, THE FRAY-</p><p>Ok I’m running out of profound ways to connect the songs to the “chapters” and I put chapters in quotes because they’re more like scenes. I realize this.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Loop 2:</p><p>            “Ina, I need your help with something!” Amelia exclaimed after rushing back from destroying the earpiece again.</p><p>“You want me to throw…your car?”</p><p>“Yes.” Ame replied with enthusiasm.</p><p>“And why do you think <em>I </em>can do that?” Ina puzzled. “Besides, wouldn’t a car flying through the air draw attention to us?”</p><p>‘You’d think just driving it to my mom’s would’ve been safe but hey, things work that way sometimes.’ Ame thought. “I don’t know. Thought maybe you could lift extra heavy things with your tentacles. Just throw it in the direction away from the city of course. Property damage, etc.”</p><p>“I second this.” Gura raised her hand. “Throw the car. I wanna see it.”</p><p>“I don’t know guys.</p><p>“Why are they trying to throw her car?” Kiara asked Calliope as the other three snuck outside.</p><p>“Because Watson is a idiot.” Calli said with narrow eyes. “I don’t have time for this, just stay put Kiara. Don’t go to the store today.”</p><p>“Got it.” Kiara nodded. “And what about them?”</p><p>“Make sure they don’t do anything stupid like throw-“ Calliope was cut off by the sound of car alarms fading away as they flew through the air. “-that car…”</p><p>“Huh, so I <em>can</em> lift that much,” they heard Ina say through the front door. Kiara and Calliope looked out the window to see their other friends standing across the street and the faint realization that they actually went through with the the moronic scheme.</p><p>“Wow…she really got it up there…it’s going so far.” Kiara said as she watched it go out of sight.</p><p>“You’re idiots. You’re all idiots, and I’m leaving.” Calli sighed and walked off to once again do that same day’s work.</p><p>            “Sooo what do we do now?” Amelia asked as the four of them sat in the living room.</p><p>“Oooo. We find more really heavy things for Ina to throw across town.” Gura exclaimed.</p><p>“No. I’m pretty sure the car was enough to give Calli a heart attack.” Kiara mused.</p><p>“Plus I’d like to remind you guys that we’re trying to stay hidden.” Ina added.</p><p>“Don’t high road me when you succumbed to the peer pressure.” Ame laughed. Ina blushed and hid behind her hands. Amelia grabbed Gura and Ina each around the shoulders and held them close. Kiara smiled, happy that Amelia was fitting in. As she held her friends, Amelia’s mind began to race. She had failed them twice already. She could fail them again. Is this why she hadn’t had friends up until now? Was she a bad person? Would she never make up for her past crimes? A tear streamed down her face as she remembered the events that led to this point. Gura turned in time to see a second one start to form.</p><p>“Watson? Are you ok?” She asked.</p><p>“Huh?” Ame snapped back to the present. “Oh yeah sorry…just…really glad to know you guys.”</p><p>“We’re glad to know you too.” Gura smiled and gout both of her arms around her back. “If you have a problem, you know we can help you, right?”</p><p>“Yes. Don’t hide it from us. Don’t ever feel you’re alone again. We can help you.” Kiara put her hand on Amelia’s shoulder and Ina on the other.</p><p>“T-thank you guys.” Amelia’s memories flashed again and she winced. “I-I truly don’t deserve you...”</p><p>           </p><p>            Calliope gulped as she gripped the handle, but when she threw the door open, all she saw was the other four girls laid out napping on the floor. She breathed a sigh of relief.</p><p>“Ok, this is promising.” Calliope thought out loud. She walked over and woke Watson gently. “Still no sign of them?”</p><p>“Huh…no.” Watson rubbed her eyes. It was at that moment their hopes were shattered, as once again they were confronted by Nicol’s team and their disregard for basic house entering procedure.</p><p>“Ok, <em>how</em>?” Amelia said still waking up and she stood. Calli woke up the others as well.</p><p>“We did it the old fashioned way.” Nicol sneered. “We showed your pictures to god knows probably every damn person in this city. Now it’s late, and we want what we came for, you and them, in that truck and being taken by to the department. Come with us, or we will use force.”</p><p>“I watched Ina throw a car today…force doesn’t really seem like a threat anymore, honestly.” Amelia shrugged.</p><p>“Cool. That’s why we have these.” Nicol motioned for the others to put on protective eyewear and Amelia practically tackled the others to the ground as a flash exploded in the middle of the room. With everyone’s senses disoriented they were too easy to pick off. Amelia shook her head as she did her best to conceal herself.</p><p>‘Is it even worth trying again?’ she pondered as she squinted to try and refocus her vision. Digging through the coat, she only found one vial of the medicine. The other two had broken when she dived, trying to keep the others from the blast. She could barley make out the sounds of everyone else struggling and her body moved on instinct, pricking herself and clicking the watch. She went back again, unsure of what to do. Every time she though they had figured it out, the others appeared anyway, and now she was out of medicine. If she was driven to travel anymore after this, it would cause her body to start breaking down. Three times now she had watched harm fall to them. It was almost too much to take. They took her in, and she couldn’t even use her gift to protect them. When she woke up this time, she just curled up on the couch and cried for a minute or two.</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Over and Over Again</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Without the medicine the repetitive time travel breaks down, as well as the Detective and Reaper’s hopes.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>…Sometimes, Sometimes You Don’t Say Goodbye Once<br/>You Say Goodbye, Over And Over And Over Again<br/>Over And Over And Over Again….<br/>-OVER AGAIN, MIKE SHINODA-</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Loop 7:</p><p>            Amelia looked at herself in the mirror with a dead eyed glance and coughed. She couldn’t understand why she wasn’t able to stop Nicol and his Elder Dragon team from showing up. The body degradation was starting to set in as well. Showing up to the D.O.I. to collect more medicine was not an option, not without taking them in. She wasn’t allowed to have any at home either, so checking her supplies there would be null. She now realized that this was to control when and how she used her ability, and wished she’d stolen one or two vials. Hindsight however, is twenty twenty. She punched the mirror in frustration and sighed before trying again.</p><p> </p><p>Loop 15:</p><p>            Amelia screamed into her hands as things seemingly continued to get worse. She gave Calliope a side glance, as she was beginning to form an idea of what was going wrong. However, now wasn’t the time to cause discourse between the two of them. The Reaper’s inability to help wasn’t because of a universal law, it was fear. Amelia never felt that killing the Elders was the way to resolve this.</p><p> </p><p>Loop 22:</p><p>            Calliope was starting to also feel frustration and doubt. Every time she watched her friends get carried off or killed, a part of her cracked inside. She watched as Watson continued to put her own body on the line to achieve their goal. She wanted to tell the Detective to stop every time she coughed, or bled from her mouth. She needed time to recover. They needed time to come up with a better plan.</p><p>“Watson, maybe we should try something else. You’re practically killing yourself at this point.”</p><p>“Calli…I have to do this. I have to do this <em>right.</em> You all brought me in, and because of it, all of our friends got kidnapped. We can’t fight them, but I have a power that is able to give us the time we need to save them. You know at least <em>I’m </em>doing something. But I guess it’s easy to sit back when it’s not your fault, huh?!” Amelia exclaimed, letting out all her frustration before being taken over by another coughing fit.</p><p>“Watson I—” Calliope knew she was right. She had been putting in the bare minimum, because she was afraid of the ramifications of accidentally killing someone before their time came. For mortals, murder was a crime, sure. But for the student’s of Death, to take a life before it was their natural time was beyond sin.</p><p>“Besides, you’re only here because you remember it all. I never <em>needed </em>or <em>wanted </em>you to help.” Ame continued. “You don’t even like me! You just want me close for my power, like the department did. Don’t bother following me in the next reset Calli.” With that, the day started over once more.</p><p> </p><p>Loop 27:</p><p>“How long can you continue doing this?” Calliope asked putting a hand on Amelia’s shoulder.</p><p>“The D.O.I. Doctors theorized it would take fifty trips, give or take, for the body degradation to be fatal.” Ame answered.</p><p>“It’s not that I didn’t like you Watson, I was afraid you were still with them.” Calli sighed. “You’ve more that proven me wrong.”</p><p>“It’s fine. I-I’m just so frustrated because I don’t understand why I can’t get it right.” Amelia admitted she fell into the reaper’s shoulder. “I just want our friends back..”</p><p>“So do I.” Calliope held her weakened friend and thought of the others. Every failure was making Watson more sick, more depressed, and herself more angry.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Loop 40:</p><p>            “Watson are you ok?” Gura could tell her friend was off. “You’ve been coughing all morning.”</p><p>“I-I’m ok Gura.” Amelia lied with a smile and fell onto the shark-girl’s shoulder. “Just…thinking somethings through. It’s probably just a cold.”</p><p> </p><p>Loop 47:</p><p>Calli looked in through the window, remembering each time she sat through this night. Maybe Watson was right. Maybe inaction wasn’t an option this time. In the end, it was coming to four against five at best. A lot of the time, it was Amelia alone. Her head began to spin. Maybe it was time she made a choice between her role and her happiness.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. My Family Crest Is The Demon of Death!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In the second to last chance to change the future, Mori loses her cool.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Forsaken, I Am Awakened<br/>A Phoenix’s Ash In Dark Divine<br/>Descending Misery<br/>Destiny Chasing Time<br/>-BURY THE LIGHT, CASEY EDWARDS-</p><p>for Calli’s breakdown I wanted to invoke the presence of powerful anger, to me that is DMC’s Vergil or FFVII’s Sephiroth.<br/>One-Winged Angel was a bit too on the nose, but Bury the Light felt right, and even had a reference to a Phoenix’s ashes in the lyrics.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Loop 49:</p><p>            Nicol kicked Amelia over. In her present state, she was in bad shape to fight.</p><p>“Well, well, hiding targets away, are we Detective?” he chastised. “I still don’t see why the boss just doesn’t cut you free.” He leaned down into her face. Passed him, she could see Kiara and Chromium’s fight. She was barely able to see the light of flames and the sparks of two swords clashing. Gura swung her trident with grace, but it was clear Palladia was toying with her. The latter eventually kicked the pronged weapon out of the Atlantian’s hands. At this point, Amelia tried to shoot Nicol but her slow reflexes gave him time to step on her wrist.</p><p>“Nope. You lose, Detective.” Nicol slung Amelia over his shoulder and Palladia threw him Gura, who he tucked under his arm. She looked up at Amelia who just teared up.</p><p>“I’m sorry Gura…I was too weak…”</p><p>“No Ame...this isn’t on you.”</p><p>“Isn’t it?”</p><p>            Vaevictus and Arcades did their best to hold back Ina. She by far was going to be the most troublesome for them.</p><p>“Really could use some help here.” Vaevictus exclaimed, jumping and weaving through magic attacks and tentacles.</p><p>“Kinda busy.” Chrom scoffed as he continued to hold back the Phoenix’s blade. The heat from her fire was making him sweat. He could see more fire in her glare. It seemed, the worse time the others were having, the more intense she got. Just then, Palladia swept Kiara’s leg out from under her and she tripped. Chrom took this time to deal her a non-lethal blow, knocking her out for transport.</p><p>It was at this point that Calliope had had enough. Forty-nine times now, <em>forty-nine</em>, she had watched by idly because it was <em>her job</em>. But this was getting to be asinine. Her scythe appeared behind her as her hand trembled in anger. A whispering wind filling the room, the temperature dropping dramatically. Everyone’s attention turned to the Reaper.</p><p>“The black wind howls…” she whispered. “Someone is dying tonight…”</p><p>“Did you just reference <em>Chrono Trigger?” </em>Nicol raised a brow. “That’s your big threat? A reference to an old video game?” He laid Amelia and Gura on the ground. “Well then Lady Death, show us what you got.”</p><p>Calliope ignored the jab and closed her eyes. She then swung her weapon in a single wide stroke. Faster than anyone could see, the two members attacking Ina were gone. No blood. No screams. Just non-existence.</p><p>Calliope then appeared in front of Chromium and Palladia.</p><p>“I suggest putting the phoenix down.” She demanded coldly. “Otherwise, what I did to them will look like mercy, and that’s a <em>fucking</em> promise.” Palladia dropped Kiara’s unconscious body at Calli’s feet without a second thought. Nicol then shot both her. Chromium looked at his leader and Calliope, clearly afraid of both. Nicol rolled his eyes when it was clear his remaining subordinate wouldn’t attack, he shot him too.</p><p>“Bunch of cowards.” Nicol growled holding Ina by the back of the head with one hand and his pistol in the other. “But then again, I guess only the best can stare <em>Death </em>in the face.” He dropped the priestess to the ground and hit her with a taser.</p><p>“Just you and me now.”</p><p>            Amelia weakly dug in her pocket for the watch. This wasn’t supposed to happen. At this rate, Calliope would surely meet a cruel fate by the hands of her mentor. She promised to save all of them, and that included Calliope as well. Nicol fired three shots trying to hit Calli, and a few at Kiara to taunt her.  Calli swung the scythe at him multiple times, it would only take one hit to finish the fight, but he was just slightly faster than her. It didn’t help that she was swinging her weapon blindly as well. Eventually, Nicol tripped on Kiara’s leg much like his teammate had tripped <em>her </em>earlier. Calliope smirked and picked him up by his face.</p><p>“Time to die.”</p><p>            “Mori, that is quite enough,” an eerie voice called out.</p><p>“Shit,” Calli swore under her breath and dropped him to the ground. “<em>Death </em>is here.”</p><p>“Mori, if my eyes don’t deceive me, your records state you’ve killed two souls who, A.) weren’t even under your jurisdiction, and B.), and this is the big one, were not anywhere near their natural death.”</p><p>“Lord Death…I had to…in self defense.” </p><p>“Self defense? From these <em>mortals?</em>” Death laughed. Her answer was nothing short of bullshit. “No no. You killed them to save the lives of your mortal friends. I told you not to get attached, and now here you are, breaking <em>my </em>rules. The universe’s <em>LAWS</em>, for them.” Nicol and Amelia stared at Death as he scolded Calli. Nicol took this time to begin dragging Gura and Kiara out to his vehicle. Death watched, he knew the situation. But he did nothing to stop it, because it was not his place to.</p><p>“You, Mori, will be coming back to the underworld with me.” He grabbed her by the arm and they both disappeared.</p><p>            Amelia laid face down on the ground. In theory, if she tried to travel again it would work, but she’d likely die. She thought back to the month or so she stayed with Calliope and her friends. Laughing and playing games with Gura, drawing with or being drawn by Ina, cooking and having long conversations with Kiara at the café. Even these forty-nine days with Calliope trying to save their friends meant something to her. They were her friends and she owed it to them to try. She clicked the watch and went back one last time. She woke up in the living room again, sat up, and decided how she’d fix things. There was only thing left to try.</p><p>“I’m going to have to attack the D.O.I.” Amelia whispered. “Alone.”</p><p>She snuck out the door and drove her car to her old house to gather supplies.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. When My Time Comes...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Preparations and memories.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>…Forget The Wrong That I’ve Done<br/>Help Me Leave Behind Some Reason To Be Missed<br/>Don’t Resent Me, When You’re Feeling Empty<br/>Keep Me In Your Memory, Leave Out All The Rest<br/>-LEAVE OUT ALL THE REST, LINKIN PARK-</p><p>This is the song, along with many other fan works, that inspired this story. </p><p>Also this chapter has my favorite line in the story in it. (The reference to the Tears in rain monologue from Blade Runner.)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Despite the feeling of her body breaking down from the inside, Amelia Watson kicked in her own front door. If there was anytime for her to throw all caution to the wind, it was now.</p><p>‘Fifty trips without the serum could result in permanent damage, and all likelihood, the <em>subject’s </em>death,’ Amelia remembered overhearing the doctors one day at the lab. She always thought it was odd that they referred to her as ‘subject’ and not ‘patient,’ but now she knew why. She shook her head as she strode to the basement door. Throwing it open, more voices echoed in her mind:</p><p>‘Hey, leave my sister alone!’ Her brother shouted.</p><p>                      ‘You should come meet my friends now!’ Kiara exclaimed.</p><p>      ‘I hope you get fired!’ Nicol Laughed.</p><p>‘Just bring in the targets, that is your job.’ The Director scolded.</p><p>                                                            ‘I love you Amelia’ her mother smiled.</p><p>                        ‘It’s not that I didn’t like you, I was afraid….’ Calliope admitted.</p><p>            ‘Her power is a powerful asset we cannot allow to slip through our fingers.’ The Doctors discussed.</p><p>‘No Ame, this isn’t on you.’ Gura reassured her.     ‘Isn’t it?’ Ame sighed.</p><p>She shook her head again as she descended down the stairs and flicked the switch, revealing the supplies she’d need to force her way into the front door.</p><p> </p><p>              Calliope woke up her in bed. “What the hell?”</p><p>Death appeared before her. “The girl traveled again. Since those souls are technically no longer dead, I felt it unfair to punish you, on the condition that you don’t pull a stunt like that again. Break the laws a second time, and no <em>Deus Ex Machina</em>, no matter how ridiculous will save you from my wrath.”</p><p>“U-understood.” Calliope nodded her head as the Grim Reaper left her presence. “Watson…”</p><p>Calli checked her list, Amelia was due to die that night, her time reduced by her reckless traveling. “This isn’t good.” She got up and opened the door to the scene of the other three tearing up the house.</p><p>“Calli have you seen Ame?” Gura asked.</p><p>“S-she’s not here?”</p><p>“Nope. Took her car with her too,” Ina added.  “No note, nothing. Gura and I thought maybe she’d gone to get her dog like she’d been talking about, but it’s been a couple hours since we all got up and she was gone then too.”</p><p>“Calli, do you have any idea where she may have went?” Kiara walked over and asked.</p><p>‘What is she up to?’ Calli asked herself and thought for a minute. “No...” she finally answered. “I’ll see if I can find her while I’m out today.”</p><p>           </p><p>Amelia thought about the first day she had spent with them. It felt so overwhelming and different. The department H.Q. was cold and made her feel contained. But something about being in that house with the others made her feel warm and free. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in, before getting hit with another coughing fit. The walk back to her car that day was especially memorable.</p><p>           </p><p>            “They really enjoyed meeting you today.” Kiara said as she walked beside her to the car.</p><p>“I doubt that.” Ame sighed getting into the car without closing the door.</p><p>“Oh, if you’re worried about Calli, she’s like that with all new people.” Kiara put her hands up. “But Gura and Ina, they really enjoyed your company, and I did too. Please come again soon.” Amelia’s chest got light, she wasn’t sure how to deal with all of this.</p><p>“Right. Let me know a day, I’ll come by when I can.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Amelia continued to look over the weapons and gear and decided she just wanted a couple explosives and a decent amount of ammunition for the pistol she was already carrying. She thought back again to another interaction she had that stood out.</p><p> </p><p>            “You draw so well, Ina. I could never do something that special.” Amelia said.</p><p>“We all have our talents. But I promise you, you could be just as good if you practiced.” The other girl replied. Amelia looked at the rough sketch of herself Ina had just produced. It was almost like a mirror imagine, practically a photograph.</p><p>“No. Probably not.” Amelia shrugged. “I’ve never been that artistic.”</p><p> </p><p>She climbed back up the stairs, trying not to succumb to tears again. So much had happened. Amelia risked too much to let this all go. But she knew that even if she succeeded at this point, she’d be gone. The medicine couldn’t work retroactively, which is why she had to take it before going back. Even if she stole some from the lab during her raid, she would not heal. She coughed up a bit of blood, then wiped it off on her jacket. She closed her eyes and continued to remember why she was doing this.</p><p> </p><p>            “You’re so annoying.” Gura laughed as the two were locked in yet another shoving match. The two teased each other to the point of some sort of confrontation near every day.</p><p>“So are you.” Ame shot back.</p><p>“Maybe if you <em>listened</em> you’d know how to play!”</p><p>“Maybe if you explained it better, I’d listen!”</p><p>The two fell to the ground next to each other, unable to contain the laughter due to their own antics. Ame turned her head and looked at Gura who was just giggling without a care in the world.</p><p> </p><p>Amelia shrugged at the broken door since it was likely she’d never be back. It began to rain and she looked up at the sky.</p><p>“So this is what it’s like…to lose tears in rain…” she whispered to herself before getting into her car and driving it to the D.O.I. like she had many times before. When she parked, she inhaled, got out, walked up to the door, punched her code in, and waited.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. 3, 2,1... Let’s Jam.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A last ditch effort.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>“You’re Going To Carry That Weight…”<br/>-COWBOY BEBOP, ENDING FRAME, THE REAL FOLK BLUES-</p><p>My notes for this chapter just say: “Cowboy Bebop reference.txt”</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“There you are Detective,” the Director’s voice said over a microphone. “Bring me my prizes?”</p><p>Amelia’s lip curled at the sound of his voice referring to the other’s as objects.</p><p>“Nope.” She answered as calmly as possible.</p><p>“Then what the hell are you doing here?!” The boss yelled back. “You drop off the grid for over a month and then you just show up at the door <em>empty handed?!!”</em></p><p>“I punched in my codes. Let me in.” Amelia ignored his rant.</p><p>“I think not. You’re not coming in here without those targets!!” The boss exclaimed, finally having enough of her charade.</p><p>“Open the door. I’m not here to comply. Ever see the end of <em>Cowboy Bebop?” </em>Amelia shrugged. “It’s kinda like that.”</p><p>“Quit your nonsense. The only way I’m letting you in here without those targets is to arrest you,” the Director shot back.</p><p>“Yeah I thought you’d say that.” Amelia nodded. She walked up the the front door and strapped one of the bombs to it and watched it blast the door to pieces. “Rude of you not to answer my question, by the way.”</p><p>           </p><p>The Director’s blood boiled as he watched her causally walk into the lobby of the H.Q., drop a grenadine on the floor, and kick it towards his guards. Using the smoke, she ran over to the elevator shooting in the direction of anyone who shot at her. He flipped a switch on his desk and called Nicol and the Elders on their radios.</p><p>“Get your asses back here! The Detective is here storming the place.</p><p>“It’s treason then.” Nicol laughed. “We’re on the way, sir.”</p><p> </p><p>         Calliope looked around the room when she got home that night. She could tell that the others were worried sick. So, she took a deep breath and got ready to tell them what she did know.</p><p>“Amelia is going to die tonight.” Calli said, which got the immediate attention of her other friends. “The truth is…she’s been using her time travel to save you guys from the department she was working for. The power breaks down her body from the inside if she doesn’t take a special medicine they created, and even after she ran out, even thought we continued to fail, she continued to travel. I don’t know where it is, but I think she’s gone to attack the organization alone because she knows tonight is her last chance.”</p><p>“We…we have to find her.” Kiara said. “There’s got to be something we can do.”</p><p>“S-she really knew she was going to die and left without saying goodbye?” Gura added.</p><p>Ina shook her head. “To help her, we’d have to find her and this department’s H.Q.”</p><p>Calliope watched as the time Amelia had continued to wind down and cursed. Just then, an explosion rang out from the nearby mountains.</p><p> </p><p>            Amelia coughed from the smoke she was using as cover. Hopping into the elevator, she pressed the button for the boss’ room and took a deep breath as the door closed. She had another coughing fit, the degradation still rattling her insides. She slouched on the floor until it stopped.</p><p>‘Come on. I can’t be a hero if I die in the middle of all this,’ she scolded herself. ‘Just a bit more.’ The door opened and she stood up. The Director stared her down as two of the guards approached her. She shot them each in the foot so they’d fall over, but likely not die.</p><p>“No time for games. I’m ending this. Call off Nicol and the Elders. Leave them alone.” Amelia said holding the pistol up.</p><p>“Nicol and his team are on the way here to deal with you,” her boss shot back. “You’re not leaving here alive. You know this is really inconvenient for so many reasons. Losing you. Losing your power. Possibly losing the targets you were supposed to bring in. Now you’re standing in my office with a gun at my head like you’re <em>John Wick</em> or something!”</p><p>“It was never my intention to leave here alive to be honest.” Amelia coughed in her hand then showed it to the boss, dripping in blood. “Truth is, I don’t have much time left no matter how you cut it.”</p><p>“Y-you’ve been traveling…to defeat me? To save <em>them!!</em>” The boss jumped up from his chair. “You really put your entire <em>existence </em>on the line for four subjects you knew for like, what, a week before disappearing?”</p><p>“And in that week, they did more for me than you or your government doctors could. You just wanted my power, a way to cover up and erase your mistakes. They saw me as a person, even after I came clean about why I was there. I don’t know…sounds like a no-brainer to me,” Amelia replied. “Then I stayed with them for a whole month more, and they continued to treat me as a friend, as <em>family.</em> Until your bullshit caught up with me. Nicol and his <em>stupidly</em> named group fell on us like a SWAT team and ruined everything! So for a little over a month in real time, I’ve replayed the same day over and over and <em>over </em>just to keep them safe from you!”</p><p>The boss let out a booming laugh as he rounded his desk corner to stand in front of it. Amelia kept the pistol lined up with his head.</p><p>“Oh you poor child, waving your gun around like you’re still in control. Those subjects will meet the same fate regardless of what you do.” Her Boss grinned. “You’ve still lost. You have the power to traverse time, and you still can’t beat me. You say they treated you like family, so why aren’t they here?”</p><p>“I didn’t tell them I was coming,” Amelia answered, stifling another cough. “You can just shove anything further. I know you’re stalling.”</p><p>“Fine.” The boss took out his own gun. “We end this in a duel. On 3 we fire. The only difference is, if you win, you die anyway. Either your sickness or Nicol will take you. It’s a win-win for me.” Just then, there was a shot and the boss fell over.</p><p>“Nicol, what the hell?” Chromium went wide-eyed. </p><p>“He was just droning on and on. Besides... if anyone is going to kill <em>her, </em>it’s <em>me!” </em></p><p>“You killed the Director!” Arcades added. </p><p>“We say The Detective did it, then they hire someone new. It’s no big deal!” Nicol shot back. Amelia took this time to line a shot up. Palladia however, rushed over and knocked the weapon out of her hands then pulled them behind her back.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>            Running in the direction of the blast, the four girls knew that what they might find wasn’t going to be pretty. Up in the nearby mountains, they could see the faint hints of a fire and what looked like a helicopter touching down.</p><p>“It’s got to be there,” Kiara huffed. “Be ready for what happens next. Be prepared to defend yourselves.” The other three nodded and Calliope smirked. It was nice to see Kiara taking some sort of lead instead of her for once.</p><p>           </p><p>Palladia smacked Amelia in the back of the head and Nicol caught her by the face.</p><p>“This is it Detective. You die here.” Nicol smirked.</p><p>“What is your deal with me?” Amelia sneered. “I hardly know you. We never talk more than your stupid little ‘I’m better than everyone especially you’ bit! You don’t even know my real name!”</p><p>He kneed her in the gut and said, “I just don’t like your ‘too good for this shit’ attitude. No team or partner. You never talked to the others. You just had this air of ‘I’m the best and fuck everyone else’ and I hate it. My team and I were always producing better results, but you never acknowledged it,” Nicol scolded.</p><p>Amelia’s vision started to go blurry as he threw her to the ground, took Chromium’s sword from him, and held it at her throat. But he stopped as a voice called out from behind him.</p><p>“Let her go.”  Kiara lit the blade she held a flame, forcing Nicol to jump to the side dropping Amelia to the ground. He growled and swung the sword at the Phoenix’s face blindly. Her parry nearly shattered his weapon, and knocked the leader of the team off balance. Palladia reached to pick the Detective up to use as leverage, but had to pull her hand back so that the trident that flew in didn’t pierce her wrist. Ina picked up Amelia and Gura’s weapon and laid them down at her feet.</p><p>“H-how are you guys even here?” Amelia said weakly, her face starting to go pale.</p><p>“Your attack wasn’t the most covert.” Calli answered. “That initial blast was pretty loud.”</p><p>“I-I couldn’t think of any other way.” Ame whispered. “I’m sorry if I made you worry.”</p><p>“You did what you thought you needed to.” Calli rolled her eyes. “Reckless as always.”</p><p> </p><p>            The other four Elders watched as Nicol’s angry and random strokes were easily blocked, the blade of his weapon cracking from his own force. Finally, the sword’s blade snapped as he fell on his ass.</p><p>“Finally.” Chromium scoffed. “About time you were made to look like the fool you are.” He walked over and picked up the hilt to the sword his leader allowed to be destroyed. Arcades rolled his eyes. Vaevictus shrugged and Palladia kept looking at her hand she almost lost.</p><p>“You idiots why are you just standing there?!” Nicol exclaimed.</p><p>“You killed the boss. You’ve been defeated. The government will likely say that the building blew up in a chemical test or something rather than look for a new place for this lab. The D.O.I. was made no more the moment you killed the Boss to get to the Detective.” Chromium rolled his eyes and turned around to leave. “In essence, we don’t really have to follow you anymore.” The other three turned to follow him, their leader clearly defeated and the director of the organization dead. Nicol burst out laughing.</p><p>“Whatever!” He laughed. “And what about you sweetheart? Gonna kill me?” Kiara put her own blade away and turned to rejoin the others.</p><p>“No. You pose no threat anymore.” She answered. This only angered him further. He got up and threw a punch at her, which Calliope caught and threw him back on the ground.</p><p>“Yeah, no. You’re not touching her. Or any of them.” He didn’t hear it though, as the impact knocked the agent out instantly.</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Who Cares If One More Light Goes Out?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The end.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>“Well I.. do.”<br/>-ONE MORE LIGHT, LINKIN PARK-</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Amelia Watson stared up at the sky and took in all the stars. The five of them had escaped outside before more government troops showed up.</p><p>“You guys weren’t supposed to see this,” she whispered as they put her down. “I-I didn’t want you guys to have to watch.” She coughed again as the others sat down around her.</p><p>“I would’ve shown up regardless,” Calliope said. “I’m the one who has to return your soul to the otherside.”</p><p>“Fair enough.” Watson coughed. “But I just..”</p><p>“Wanted to be some cliché action hero?” Gura teased, trying to hold back her own sadness. Amelia turned her head to the Atlantian girl. Her face was red from the effort it took to keep some sort of composure.</p><p>“I wanted to die the way I thought I deserved I guess…alone and in pain,” Watson answered.</p><p>“I don’t know…still sounds pretty cliché to me,” Gura shot back. “That stupid leave without saying goodbye shtick always gets on my nerves.”</p><p>“I-I’m sorry guys… I guess I didn’t change all that much after all.”</p><p>            “Are you kidding?” Kiara exclaimed, trying to keep up her energy so she didn’t also cry. “You’re so much more open and social then you were they day I met you. Well, since we first met up, maybe not the day I knocked you over on the sidewalk.”</p><p>“And yet, had I not set that up, I wouldn’t be who I am today…thanks for falling for such an obvious trap.” Amelia winked weakly.</p><p>“I-I…I’m going to let you have that one, all things considered.” Kiara sighed.</p><p>Calliope shook her head and kneeled at Amelia’s side. “It’s almost time. I’ve annoyed Death enough the last two days, I can’t be late. You’ve been a pain in my ass all your life. I seriously thought you were going to die from a tree limb to the face or something.” She said holding her hand out. Amelia took it with a smile and noticed when she got up, her body stayed down. Calliope had removed her soul, it was nearing time to leave for the afterlife.</p><p>“Nope. Just by saving your life.” Watson shot back. “Wait…so you’ve really been there for every dumb little accident I had?”</p><p>“Just the ones that almost killed you.” Calli shrugged. “I guess that doesn’t really narrow it dow though?”</p><p>“Yeah…that’s just about all of them.” Ame laughed. She turned and looked to the others one last time. Ina could see her because of her otherworldly connections and opened up her book to show her a drawing that took up two pages. It was of all four of them welcoming Amelia into their home.</p><p>“I was waiting until you’d been with us a year or so, so I could keep working on it.” Ina said. “I wish you could take it with you...”</p><p>“Beautiful as always...” Amelia nodded, if she could still cry, she would be bawling. </p><p>Gura took the Detective’s hat from her friends head and placed it on her own before standing up. “I’m gonna kill you for this when I see you again Ame!” She shouted into the void. Amelia laughed as the Earth and her friends disappeared behind her.</p><p>           </p><p>              “You didn’t deserve an end like this.” Calliope said as the two of them walked down the dark roads of the afterlife. “It was way too soon and likely preventable.”</p><p>“I bet you get a lot of those with a job like this though, Calli.” Amelia shrugged.  </p><p>“I didn’t know them like I know you.” Calli sighed. “Yes it hurts me to bring a young life, or someone’s beloved animal here. But you risked it all for a reward you can’t have, and I’m part of that. I watched you risk life and limb for people other than yourself time and time again.”</p><p>“I didn’t deserve to be with you guys to begin with. I guess this is life’s way of balancing it out.” Ame sighed. “Nothing we can do about it now.”</p><p>Calliope nodded solemnly. “Doesn’t mean it’s right. You more than made up for your past mistakes, Watson. Not just because you died for this. The sheer determination and drive to help us was clearly not from the same person the department had on their roster.” They stopped at a gate. “This is as far as I take you. The rest is up to you and how the gods judge you.” Amelia suddenly hugged her, catching the reaper off-guard.</p><p>”So.. is this what the cold embrace of Death feels like?” The Detective forced another laugh out. Which only got a sigh and an eyeroll out of Calli as her arms came up and around her friend. They stood there silent for a minute before Amelia let go.</p><p>“Goodbye Calli. It was good to know you.” Watson waved again as she crossed over.</p><p>“Goodbye Watson…Rest In Peace.”</p><p> </p>
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